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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23642797">Winter Soldier Returns</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetasblack/pseuds/sweetasblack'>sweetasblack</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The A(BO)vengers [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Brock Rumlow, Alpha Nick Fury, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Explicit Sex, Gun Violence, Gun play, M/M, Omega Bucky Barnes, Omega Sam Wilson, Omega Verse, Steve Rogers Flirts, implied Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson - Freeform, implied rape, non-consensual gun play</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 05:55:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>47,106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23642797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetasblack/pseuds/sweetasblack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Winter Soldier had been decommissioned after his last mission in 2009. With the creation of Project Insight and the ability to launch five years later, his services are needed to take out three main targets that will prevent the rise of HYDRA. </p><p>Steve Rogers has become more suspicious of SHIELD and the people he works around. It takes being backed into a corner to trust someone he met only a day ago and someone he thought wasn't on his side until a target was placed on her back.</p><p>The pair meet not once but twice when they realize why they both felt the emptiness that had been there for years suddenly fill. </p><p>Will they come together again to fulfill each other's desires and their bond? Or will they be plagued by their own pasts and push each other away?</p><p>Will follow the events of Captain America: Winter Soldier. </p><p>[It isn't necessary to have read other pieces of the series, but it may help to read Captain America: the First Alpha for minor details that were covered. :)]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The A(BO)vengers [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655929</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>140</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Friends or Fiends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>UNBETA'D. </p><p>If you'd like to beta, lemme knowww.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>unbeta'd</p><p>Updated 4/26/2021 (the next seven chapters will be updated today, the last 2-3 chapters will be updated at a much later time. </p><p>thank you for reading. I really enjoyed writing it in 2020 and rewriting this in 2021.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>WASHINGTON, D.C. January, 8th, 2014.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Most days Steve rarely found sleep. Mornings that the Alpha woke up before the sunrise usually were the most restless. Exercising was the only method Steve had found to push through the fog of anxiety. In D.C. Steve was left to his own devices which meant that on sleepless mornings like these the Alpha would push his body to the limits. Times that Steve woke too early with Tony, the omega wouldn’t allow the blond to over-exert himself. Even lulls during missions Natasha kept a watchful eye on Steve as well so he couldn’t push himself beyond what she felt was acceptable. It was mornings like these that the Alpha remembered when God punished him with a body that crumpled and ached with pains a twenty-year-old should have never felt. The pain of straining muscles distracted from nightmares of war and the ache of a bond that never left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve’s body needed to feel like it was holding him back. That there was a physical reason for his pain. Rather than think about the illnesses of his past, or the reality of him having no real autonomy over a body that was classified as a weapon of mass destruction. The pain that burst through his muscles as he ran, not even at full speed, focused his mind. Rather than crave his dead omega or for the final release from his bond, and the subsequent guilt from that thought. Ache of serum created muscles distracted Steve. The Alpha wouldn’t be saved from himself, not this time, there wasn’t an omega around to chastise him for pushing himself or missing a foe he hadn’t seen. Steve was on his own, with his mind and his tormented body. At least, Steve had been distracted until he saw another man running and realized he was about to barrel straight through him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Steve yelled, “On your left!” and the man moved to the side easily to let the super-soldier through without a mess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ten minutes later the Alpha hadn’t realized how fast he was actually going when Steve saw the same man jogging. So, to make sure he didn’t run the other man down, Steve yelled, “On your left,” again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Steve passed the man gave a grumbling response, “Uh-huh, on my left… Got it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe Steve had gone another lap just to upset the man that was still jogging, so as he came up behind the stranger again the Alpha tried to hold in the smirk from his lips. Unfortunately, the expression won out when the man began yelling, “Don’t say it! Don’t say it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And of course, Steve had to say it. “On your left!” The blond could practically hear Bucky calling him a punk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on!” he heard the man call after Steve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then the other tried to pick up speed and catch up to Steve, which was just absolutely comical. The blond couldn’t resist the booming laugh that fell from his smiling lips as he ran. Maybe there was a positive of the serum. Being able to make men, who were already in crazy good shape, feel slightly inadequate because Steve wasn’t sweating at all and looked as though he was sprinting, would always be a fun party trick. As Steve came back around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool he saw the man he had passed several times, on purpose, had stopped jogging and instead was collapsed against a tree panting and drenched in sweat. Steve did what he felt was the kind thing to do and stopped next to the stranger so they could have a conversation and the Alpha could possibly make a friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Need a medic?” Steve asked with a smirk at the man on the ground who leaned up against a tree.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stranger with glistening walnut skin looked up with a bright laugh at a man that had probably tortured him without meaning to. But, Steve had absolutely meant to torture the other. And if this man was the type of person Steve thought he might be, the stranger would enjoy the fact that the Captain America facade was just a mask. Some people Steve had tried to befriend really didn’t enjoy the start contrast between Captain America, the legend, and Steve Rogers, the person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I got a late start,” Steve teased. His own pale pink skin was barely flushed compared to the other man with no trace of sweat on the Alpha’s lightly pink dusted cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap,” the other looked away as if to see if anyone else was seeing Captain America hovering above him. “Did you just take it? I assume you took it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve tightened his hands on his hips and bobbed his head around as he chuckled “What unit you with?” the blond gestured to the other man’s sweatshirt seeing a military insignia on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“58, Pararescue. But now I’m working down at the VA. Sam Wilson,” Sam hummed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man reached a hand up and motioned for Steve to take it and the Alpha complied like the 1940s gentleman he was. It was easy to use his momentum to pull Sam up instead of actually using his overabundant muscles. Steve took a long look at the tall man, thick with muscles, but gap-toothed smile that melted any intimidation factor he may have had. The Alpha really couldn’t help as he scented the air, picking up that Sam’s scent was dull, but clearly an omega. Steve wasn’t close enough to pick up much of the other’s scent beyond that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve Rogers,” the blond introduced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing,” Sam winced at the thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It takes some getting used to. It’s nice to meet you, Sam,” Steve chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blond turned around with the plan to head home. Any mention of his own situation really made him uncomfortable and Steve would rather not have a conversation even with a potential friend. Maybe the Alpha would run into the other man on a better day when Steve wasn’t so on edge or in his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s your bed, right?” Sam called after him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s that?” Steve asked and turned towards Sam with furrowed brows, lips turned down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your bed, it’s too soft. When I was over there I’d sleep on the ground and use rocks for pillows, like a caveman,” Sam replied quickly as if he could tell Steve would run from the conversation any second. “Now I’m home, lying in my bed, and it’s like…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lying on a marshmallow,” Steve finished nodding his head. “Feel like I’m gonna sink right to the floor.” The Alpha watched the man for a long moment until he decided Sam was just a genuine person. Maybe Steve had been around too many spies. “How long?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Two tours. You miss the good old days, huh?” Sam asked with a big smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Steve leaned back and turned towards him a bit flirtatiously. “Things aren’t so bad. Food’s a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I’ve been reading a lot trying to catch up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Steve had been provided a complete historical rundown of everything that happened in the United States by SHIELD, there was a lot of nuanced that had been missed. So privately after the long hours of physical and strategic training with Natasha, Steve focused on learning the historical nuances. Along with the nuances came a cultural to-do list generated by the small group of friends around him. Mostly specially curated by Tony Stark who was too insistent on many things on his ever-growing list. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marvin Gaye, 1972, “Trouble Man” soundtrack. Everything you’ve missed jammed into one album,” Sam hummed. The omega’s smile closed a bit to try and stop mahogany cheeks from bursting in a rose hue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll put it on the list,” Steve nodded and pulled out his small notebook to add the album.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Steve wrote his phone chimed and the Alpha couldn’t help but release an irritated sigh. The blond had actually been getting somewhere with a person he genuinely felt he had a connection with. Steve stuffed the small notebook away and pulled out his phone to read a text from Natasha: “Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)”. Steve placed the phone back in his pocket and turned his attention back to Sam.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, Sam. Duty calls. Thanks for the run if that’s what you want to call running,” Steve chuckled as they shook hands. The Alpha took one of Sam’s into both of his to feel the warmth of the other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh? That's how it is?” Sam laughed, that rosy hue spread across his high cheeks more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Steve winked, his own pale face presenting red. “That’s how it is.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve pulled his hands away from Sam’s so he could start walking backward. Sam laughed more boisterously, his plump lips widened to show his perfect gap-toothed smile and a tongue that darted out to wet his bottom lip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. Any time you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve smiled tighter as he heard Natasha’s car pulling up from down the street. “I’ll keep that in mind.” The Alpha’s head bobbed and glanced over his shoulder, really not interested in leaving his new friend to go on a mission.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” Sam chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The omega managed, unfortunately, to contain his smile again, but the mirth was still evident in his spadiceous eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey fellas!” Natasha called from her sports car and Steve tensed more as he waited for the joke. “Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I’m here to pick up a fossil!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam had moved closer to Steve with every step back the blond took. “That’s hilarious,” Steve rolled his eyes, body turned halfway towards Natasha. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How you doin'?” Sam flirted with Natasha after fully examining her vehicle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Natasha’s deep tone rumbled through as she leaned over to open the car door for Steve. Her soft peach skin clearer with the door ajar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t run everywhere,” Steve hummed as he slipped into the car, shut the door, and gave Sam another wink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No you can’t,” Sam’s chuckle vibrated out of his chest as his lips pursed to hide a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, who was that?” Natasha purred after they drove a considerable distance away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve looked at the woman knowingly. Every time Steve spent extended periods in DC Natasha had made it her mission to try to get him to date literally anyone that wasn't Tony Stark. According to the spy, Steve’s standards weren’t high enough. Being with one of the wealthiest and smartest men in the United States apparently was a low standard. Maybe it was for an internationally known spy. Natasha insisted that what Steve needed was someone to be romantic with. To which Steve reminded her kindly, as long as his bond mark was present, he couldn’t be romantic with anyone. At least, Steve didn’t think he could love anyone like he loved Bucky. It wasn’t fair to be romantically involved with anyone when all he wanted was, crudely, ass on the side and whenever convenient for himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sam Wilson works for the VA here,” Steve finally replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You gonna ask him out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve gave Natasha a deadpan look and huffed out. “I talked to him for all of ten minutes Nat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And he was blushing, and you were blushing. I don’t see why you can’t,” she shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve chewed on his bottom lip and shrugged. “Fine, yea, I’ll ask if I see him again,” Steve grumbled, “But that means you have to stop suggesting people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha hummed and tilted her head to the side, her straightened red hair fell across her scentless shoulder. “No, I don’t think I will stop suggesting people because if I stop, you won’t feel pressure to ask him out, and the whole point-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Natasha, it’ll just be another arrangement like I have with Stark,” Steve said honestly, as he stared out the passenger window. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so annoying, that bond mark is just some scar you have from before the serum. He’s dead you know,” Natasha pointed out bluntly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m gonna jump out of this car,” Steve huffed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jump out of the plane tonight. It’ll freak Rumlow and his men out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve sucked in a breath, another mission with Rumlow? The Alpha looked to Natasha with his disappointed frown. “Are we really going on another mission with him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two work well together. You don’t like him for the same reason you don’t like Pepper Potts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t like him for reasons you can’t even begin to understand.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>INDIAN OCEAN.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Steve did not like Brock Rumlow. It wasn’t necessarily because Tony had figured out that the man was a double agent working for HYDRA underneath SHIELD’s nose. Or even the way Brock spoke about omegas as second-class citizens that couldn’t think for themselves and were meant to be physically and mentally conquered. Rumlow was just obnoxious. The Alpha trained without restraint. Steve was sure if there weren’t cameras or other bystanders during skirmishes, Brock would try to kill each and every one of his opponents. That brutality translated onto the field where more often than not, the man would leave bodies lying around. Steve preferred to keep missions clean, bloodless, and with ample opportunity to arrest and interrogate everyone that was involved in whatever his team was up against. Missions became more complicated the more dead people left behind and Steve really didn’t appreciate having to report on it. Steve stared Brock down on the Quinjet as the man debriefed the rest of the team. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago,” Rumlow relayed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any demands?” Steve asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quite a bit of time had passed since hostages had been taken and usually demands followed after about an hour or so into the situation. There would be a limited window to meet the demands and save all the hostages. Because there would absolutely be no negotiations, so they would have to hit fast and hard in order to prevent casualties. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A billion and a half.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve’s eyes widened at the number. Sure the Alpha was now a multi-millionaire because of back pay, and to Steve that was already an excessive amount of money, but to demand a billion dollars? The price tag was unfathomable to someone like Steve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why so steep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because the ship is SHIELD’s.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So it’s not off-course, it’s trespassing?” Steve asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure they have a good reason,” Natasha piped in to try to keep Steve civil. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha’s irritation with SHIELD had grown since he had been defrosted without his permission. The organization then told lies about Steve’s life before death and refused to accept any corrections he provided. Then paired with the reality that Steve technically “belonged” to the Department of Defense because to them, Steve was a weapon they created, not a person, and Steve had been “loaned out” to SHIELD. The moment Steve woke up in the twenty-first century he’d been treated as an object for anyone’s use rather than a sentient being. Unfortunately, SHIELD miscalculated how well and how long Steve could play their game. Sometimes it paid to be underestimated and be a lot smarter than he looked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, I’m getting a little tired of being Fury’s janitor,” Steve complained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha rolled her eyes visibly as she leaned back in her seat like it was a comfortable plush couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax, it’s not that complicated,” Natasha rolled her green eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How many pirates?” Steve grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy,” Rumlow brought up a picture on a monitor, “Georges Batroc. Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He’s at the top of Interpol’s Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. The guy’s got a rep for maximum casualties.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What did it mean when Rumlow had something in common with a French assassin? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hostages?” Steve asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell,” Brock replied with a shrug as Sitwell’s photo sprung up. “They’re in the galley.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s Sitwell doing on a launch ship?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jasper Sitwell was one of the higher-ranked agents on the list of people known to be a double agent for HYDRA. Steve was not just upset about cleaning up a mess Fury started, or that he had to work with Rumlow, but now he had to navigate what could possibly be a HYDRA mission disguised as a SHIELD mission. Especially the connotations the result could have with Captain America attached to it. The Alpha knew he had to be wary moving forward as pieces came together in his mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, I’m gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you’ll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get them out. Let's move.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up,” Rumlow commanded as Steve walked away to get himself suited up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve checked the radio at his wrist, “Secure channel seven.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seven secure,” Natasha replied back as she stood next to the Alpha to grab her parachute and ensure her weapons were in good shape. “Did you do anything fun Saturday night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, we’re continuing this conversation again?” Steve snorted. “Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so, no, not really.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The red-haired woman with soft pink skin and flush lips laughed softly at his lame joke, which Steve took as good news that the conversation might be over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Coming up by the drop zone, Cap,” the pilot radioed into Steve’s ear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she’d probably say yes,” Natasha continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve hit the button next to his head to have the ramp of the quinjet open so the team could parachute out. “The brunette Alpha?” He cocked a thick eyebrow at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea, the only one in statistics you like to talk to,” Natasha hummed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s why I don’t ask,” Steve replied louder as the sound of wind and the jet came in from the open ramp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too shy or too scared?” the Agent called back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha picked up his shield, which had been stripped of its color, and placed it on his back where a strong magnet rested. Steve finally yelled back, “Too busy!” as he jumped out of the plane.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once on the ship Steve easily fell into the muscle memory of a mission. Immediately upon stepping aboard the Alpha pulled a man down into unconsciousness and moved quickly through the pirate skeleton crew that managed the ship. Honestly, this was easier for Steve to manage as much crew as he could on his own. Natasha had trained the Alpha well enough that his footsteps were light and silent when he ran at targets. The woman had also greatly improved his hand-to-hand combat, which allowed for minimal casualties. The Alpha did not enjoy using guns, his shield was all he needed to incapacitate multiple enemies at once. But, the lack of guns also left Steve vulnerable to men that preferred to use guns. Only one man was able to get the drop on Steve while the Alpha had been preoccupied with other pirate grunts. Luckily for Steve, being held at gunpoint didn’t last long because Rumlow shot the man dead as he parachuted down to the deck. The rest of the STRIKE team and Natasha landed on the ship in matters of seconds, all quiet and with the stealth of senior agents. The agents stripped off their parachutes and pulled out their guns to fall into the configuration they had planned. Natasha slid up alongside Steve who walked with a purpose towards his mission, secure the ship while the STRIKE team secures the hostages, and find Batroc who would be Steve’s responsibility to take down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about the nurse that lives across the hall from you?” Natasha hummed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Beta?” Steve grumbled, it was almost unbelievable that Natasha was continuing this conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea, she seems kind of nice.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Secure the engine room, then find me a date.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“I’m multitasking!” Natasha called back as she launched herself over a railing down to a lower level of the ship.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Steve, without the distraction of Natasha, launched himself up the ship's levels with the power and strength of a super-soldier towards the Navigation Quarters on the ship. The Alpha shot a small bomb on the window of the overlook and paused below. He listened to the rest of his teammates get into position so he could get the drop on Batroc. Steve watched the men, tuned into their radio to hear their confusion about SHIELD’s sudden silence. Captain America continued to wait for his team to be ready. He heard from the STRIKE team first, then Rumlow, but Natasha seemed to be MIA as Steve called repeatedly for her. No one could make a move until the engine room was secure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Natasha, what’s your status?” With more radio silence, Steve felt his frustration rise. The man was already suspicious about the mission. How could he not be with two HYDRA agents involved and the very unpredictable Natasha Romanoff? After a few more anxious beats of silence, Steve called again. “Status, Natasha?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hang on!” She yelled through her comm. Steve paused with a huff and listened, managing to pick up on some of her combat through the radio. “Engine room secure.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On my mark. Three. Two. One.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With Steve’s command, the STRIKE team entered the room the hostages were held in and Steve sprinted across the upper level. When the Alpha caught Batroc with his back to the window, his smaller men stared through the glass with wide eyes. Captain America could see the men trying to warn Batroc as he threw his shield and broke the windows of the navigation room. With the Frenchman down Steve threw himself through the gaping hole only to be met with a swift kick and be thrown down. Steve after a few seconds to catch his breath stood up in time to watch Batroc escape the room, so the Alpha followed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hostages en route to extraction. Romanoff missed the rendezvous point, Cap. Hostiles are still in play,” Rumlow relayed through the radio.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve walked down the stairs and looked towards the stern. “Natasha, Batroc’s on the move. Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages.” The Alpha turned towards the bow and tried his radio again. “Natasha!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without a moment's notice, Batroc had launched himself at Steve’s shield knocking him back which the Alpha rolled into to jump back up. Only then to be met with another kick to his shield. Although disorienting, Steve managed to get himself focused enough to avoid another kick and ended up in tight hand-to-hand-to-foot-to-hand combat with the Frenchman Batroc. Never had Steve dealt with an opponent that was naturally stronger than most and would have tested Natasha’s hand-to-hand combat skills. Steve knew he played defense too often and used his shield as a way to block most attacks since the vibranium metal absorbed all the blows for Steve. But defense helped Steve catch his breath long enough to think about how to get the upper hand with Batroc. The man paused and gave Steve a once over, giving Steve time to smell the Alpha, a strong scent filled with rage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Je croyais que t'étais plus qu’un bouclier,” [I thought that you were more than just a shield.] Batroc chattered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve was glad to have known Denier and Jones, they taught him French fluently within their first year as commandos. “On va voir,” [Let’s see] Steve replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man placed his shield back onto his back and snapped his Captain America helmet off with a final throw to the side, and paused for the Frenchman to come. The Alpha felt bold and Steve was annoyed enough that hand-to-hand combat with the man didn’t last as long as he had expected. Batroc managed to fall at a heavy blow to the head, got up, and tried again. It was clear the man had run out of stamina and each heavy blow Steve landed on him impacted the man’s body heavily. Steve may have gone a bit too hard on him as he launched him through a metal door and knocked him out. The Alpha took a moment to stare down at the man to check and make sure Steve’s temper hadn’t killed him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, this is awkward,” a deep raspy voice chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve looked up and frowned at the sight of Natasha attached to a computer. She gave him a little smirk as he asked, “What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Backing up the hard drive. It’s a good habit to get into,” Natasha hummed, sparing a glance at Steve before continuing her work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve slowly walked over to Black Widow and looked up at the large screen. “Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?” Steve glanced down again to see a USB and a download speed. “You’re saving SHIELD intel.” Suspicious.</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Whatever I can get my hands on,” Natasha said with just as much suspicion laced in her own voice.<br/><br/></span> <span>Steve felt a tightness in his chest like he was about to be betrayed by someone he had grown close to over the past two years. “Our mission is to rescue hostages.” </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha hummed, “No that’s your mission.” The red-headed Agent pulled out the flash drive and tried to move past him with a snide, “And you’ve done it beautifully.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha grabbed the woman’s arm and pulled her in close with a growl. Natasha was absolutely unbelievable. He knew she did nefarious things before working with SHIELD so either she was collecting data for herself to steal or she was stealing it for HYDRA, and Steve couldn’t see any other option other than her betrayal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You just jeopardized this whole operation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think that’s overstating things,” She huffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Batroc jumped up and put both agents of SHIELD on alert. Natasha darted off in the opposite direction at the sight of a grenade thrown at them. Steve hit the explosive away with a thrust of his shield, grabbed Natasha by her waist, and launched them over each computer bay. The woman shot at a glass office to break the window so Steve could throw the pair of them into it to try and avoid most of the grenade blast. The agents crawled until they sat under the window so Steve could check to see if Batroc was back in the room to sneak up on them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. That one’s on me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re damn right,” Steve growled and quickly left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man realized his ability to trust anyone around him at this point was down to zero. None of the other Avengers were around in DC which meant Steve was now left with no confidants. Natasha had put everyone on the ship in a dangerous situation. The woman left the hostages and the STRIKE team exposed on top of Steve and herself because she wanted intel that Steve hadn’t been told they were collecting. The Alpha ensured their mission finished successfully, but only with the plan to confront his commanding officer Director Nick Fury. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments, questions, thoughts, feelings, and kudos. I feed on them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Compartmentalization for the Sake of Freedom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Unbeta'd. I'm sorry.</p><p>If you want to beta let me know (even if the story is completed... Like literally any of them I will take a beta)</p><p>UPDATED 4/26/2021</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>THE TRISKELION SHIELD HEADQUARTERS. WASHINGTON, DC. January 9th, 2014.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natasha, Steve, and Rumlow all submitted their reports on the quinjet ride to SHIELD headquarters. Steve’s report included information about Natasha’s supposed “mission” that Captain America had not been privy to, which led to an invitation to Fury’s office upon their return. Steve knew that Fury had already been pre-enlightened to the hissy fit the Alpha was prepared to throw. The Director had most likely created the meeting, at least Steve assumed so that the Alpha wouldn’t stir up trouble. The blond hadn’t bothered to change out of his uniform because Steve wanted to be prepared for a fight if it came. Maybe that was paranoia, but some precautions had to be taken when SHIELD wasn’t actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> SHIELD. So when the Alpha arrived at Fury's office, he stormed in without an invitation from the Director’s secretary and began his tantrum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just can’t stop yourself from lying, can you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because Natasha’s lie was Fury’s lie and while Steve had been upset with the woman, his anger was better directed elsewhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t lie. Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours,” Nick hummed. The one-eyed man sat at his desk, umber skin backlit from the windows behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which you didn’t feel obliged to share?” Steve stood in front of the Director’s desk and watched the man spin in his chair to face Steve. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not obliged to do anything,” Fury scoffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those hostages could've died, Nick.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn’t happen.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soldiers trust each other, that’s what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around and shooting guns,” Steve snapped back.</span>
</p><p><span>Nick stood slowly with calculated movements as he spoke. “The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look. I didn’t want you doing anything you weren’t comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>The Alpha shifted to hold his weight on his other leg, a hand rested on his hip. Nick Fury released calming pheromones, a skill that was normally utilized by Betas or omegas to calm an agitated Alpha. The Director, an Alpha, had developed a technique that worked on other Alphas around him. Steve forced himself to be calmer in order to not be fully under Fury’s effect. </span></p><p>
  <span>“I can’t lead a mission when the people I’m leading have missions of their own,” Steve breathed through the sudden calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve felt his suspicions rise again. The man </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> Director of SHIELD and to Captain America, there could be no possible way that Fury did not know that HYDRA was hiding inside of SHIELD all these years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Except you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nick leaned back and looked as though he was holding in an eye roll. “You’re wrong about me. I do share. I’m nice like that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve frowned at the man as Nick walked around the desk. With a casual wave of his hand, Director Fury motioned for Steve to follow. The pair walked out of his office and into the elevator the blond had just come up into. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Insight bay,” Nick commanded the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator completed a thorough scan of their faces and a screen presented their levels. Apparently Tony had provided them some unique AI technology, or at least some ideas. As far as Steve had known, Tony had been the only person to successfully create a sophisticated AI. Maybe this elevator AI wasn’t as sophisticated as Steve assumed and his lack of technological knowledge was in part what contributed to his curiosity about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight,” the computer chirped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Director override. Fury, Nicholas J.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Confirmed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator began its descent and when Steve finally felt calm enough he spoke again. “You know, they used to play music,” the Alpha hummed as he listened to the quiet whirring of the elevator gears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, my grandfather operated one of these things for forty years. My granddad worked in a nice building, he got good tips. He’d walk home every night, roll of ones stuffed in his lunch bag. He’d say ‘hi’, people would say ‘hi’ back. Time went on, neighborhood got rougher. He’d say ‘hi’, they’d say, ‘keep on steppin’. Granddad got to grippin’ that lunch bag a little tighter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve tilted his head as he remembered his own downtrodden neighborhood. Nights where Steve would work on his knees. Or early mornings the small Alpha felt threatened by men that knew what he was as he walked home. It never got easier to live in the Red Hook district, but Steve wouldn’t have ever left it, no matter how “unsafe” it became. Plus, a neighborhood was only as unsafe as the people you distanced yourself from. Sure those nights walking home had been rough, but the moment familiar faces saw him, he was usually protected from a robber. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he ever get mugged?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even with neighborhood familiarity, it was still a couple of blocks from the docks and the warehouses to the apartments. So of course Steve got mugged, it happened all the time. That was why the small Alpha had worked so many nights on his knees or bent over. The Alpha always had to make up for robbery losses that he probably shouldn’t have had to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every week some punk would say, ‘what’s in the bag?’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did he do?” Steve continued to indulge in the story despite the memories it brought up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’d show ‘em. Bunch of crumpled ones and a loaded .22 magnum,” Fury laughed softly. “Granddad loved people. But he didn’t trust them very much.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator descended further into another all-glass casing that provided a clear view of three large helicarriers, larger than the one Steve had been on two years ago. It had been an impressive machine and intelligence base, but it had still been quite frightening. Any civilian that saw it probably would feel fear in the pit of their stomach. Not necessarily from the inevitable threat of death, but the fact that a machine that largely represented a loss of freedom when it loomed over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know. They’re a little bit bigger than a .22,” Nick began as he led Steve around the basement of SHIELD Headquarters to show the Alpha the new massive weapons SHIELD had created. “This is Project Insight. Three next-generation Helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Launched from the Lemurian Star,” Steve finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulsor engines.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve snorted, “Stark?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up-close look at our old turbines. These new long-range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist’s DNA before he steps outside his spider hole,” Nick stepped and faced Steve to pause their tour. “We’re gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve frowned and tilted his head in contemplation. With HYDRA hiding behind SHIELD this sounded like another mass genocidal attempt. Exactly like the one Steve had barely managed to prevent when he dove into the ice. Although those had been fairly imprecise missiles back in his day, more accurate guns might actually be worse. More casualties and more war. Tony couldn’t have expected this when he gave them advice, the omega probably hoped he’d get the government to stop polluting the world, not create unstoppable weapons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought the punishment usually came after the crime?” Steve grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The platform they stepped on moved underneath one of the helicarriers. Steve examined the ship as closely as possible to take in as much of the aspects as he could. He preferred to know the intricate details of anything he could get his hands on that might provide him a tactical advantage in the future. If this machine was going to be used in the way Steve dreaded it would, knowing this helicarrier as best as he could, would be advantageous. Especially massive weapons that would no doubt require knowledge of the blueprint for navigating one's way around it once inside. SHIELD wasn’t known for providing maps in any of their buildings or helicarriers because either you knew or you didn’t belong on the ship. Either way, a map wouldn’t necessarily allow Steve to see the structural weaknesses that would need to be known in order to bring the helicarrier down. Anything the Alpha couldn’t pinpoint immediately, he’d ask Tony about, the man probably had the plans already. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t afford to wait that long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This had Steve visibly frowning, his concern and suspicions grew. Even a land whose justice system was corrupted could be reformed. Such extremism from Fury was a screaming red flag to Steve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sky blue eyes gave a sideways glance at the Director, no longer hiding his suspicions. “Who’s ‘we’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat analysis. For once we’re way ahead of the curve.”</span>
</p><p><span>Steve sighed and looked away from Nick, eyes watched the helicarriers above his head. “By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Steve scoffed, he hadn’t lived through all the years his generation had. The Alpha hadn’t even lived to see the end of World War II. The super-soldier had been disgusted when he found out what his country had done to Japan as retaliation, there was a lot of condemning evidence that said Japan was already planning on surrendering. Nasty stuff indeed. But, Fury had no right to apply what people had done in the past and compare it to what was being proposed, all the while pinning it all on Steve as if he hadn’t been a pawn himself. This proposition, without knowing if Fury knew who hid under his nose, would be more devastating than Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. If HYDRA had their way, this weapon would certainly surpass the death toll of Nazi Germany. If Fury was as ignorant of HYDRA’s presence as he seemed to be, Steve was even more disgusted that Fury thought this was acceptable without the supremacist connotations of HYDRA influencing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, they compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But it was done so that people could be free,” Steve huffed out. He looked around and waved his hand. “This isn’t freedom, this is fear.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we’d like it to be. It’s getting damn near past time for you to get with the program, Cap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve scoffed in shock and disbelief. The Alpha shifted his body towards the exit once the moving platform came to the end of the track. There was apparently no defusing the situation, but a firefight wasn’t about to happen either. No one had altered their stations and Fury, despite being a spy with the best bluff, remained as stiff as he had before. The more the Alpha thought about the situation the more upset he became. Maybe Steve was an idealist just as Fury tried to imply. But the Alpha never believed fear-mongering was the way to keep people in line or prevent crimes. Steve believed that people shouldn’t live in fear no matter who they appeared to be. If these ships launched, people would most certainly die, and definitely without any reason. Just because his generation had made horrible, disgusting, mistakes, wasn’t an excuse for SHIELD to repeat them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t hold your breath,” Steve growled as a farewell.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a quick contemplative layover at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to “visit” his own exhibit. Which really meant Steve was stealing another personal effect on display and the museum would continue to do nothing about it because who was going to tell Steve he couldn’t have his own belongings? The Alpha then made his way to the hospice care facility Peggy Carter lived in. Visiting the woman was always an emotionally difficult task. Not only because she was seventy years older and suffered from dementia making her almost a shell of the strong woman he had known as a close friend and ally. But, the woman had changed the details of Steve’s personal history to fit a political narrative, which the Alpha found seriously upsetting and disturbing. Steve, understood the desire for the legalization and equitable transformation the of law for same-sex relationships, and maybe would have supported the movement had he been alive. The Alpha would never be able to comprehend why Peggy felt the need to change everything about Steve’s personal history. Especially considering he knew that Peggy had developed feelings for Gabe Jones over the years and they had bonded and married in the United Kingdom after Steve’s death. But, it wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>their</span>
  </em>
  <span> bond that redefined homosexual relationships for Alphas in the United States, it was the faux relationships she claimed to have with Steve. With all of that in mind constantly, it was difficult to be around a woman that helped him be Captain America while she simultaneously erased his relationship with Bucky from the books all while never remembering she had done so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Steve finally left Peggy’s side he received a text message from Natasha with a file attached. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I found Wilson’s contact info, you should text him. ;p</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve sighed and opened the file, not only did it contain Sam’s contact information it contained his entire personnel file, most of which was redacted and provided no new information. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fine, I’ll bother him. I’m blaming you though, don’t want him to think I’m the stalker in this equation. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve was still distrustful of the woman, but he wondered if seeing Sam might ease some of the pain and anxieties he felt. There was a distinct lack of people Steve could trust in D.C. and going back to New York now when things seemed on edge, didn’t feel like the best plan. Whatever reason, Sam just seemed trustworthy and Steve really wanted to explore that feeling of safety while life was calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hi, this is Steve Rogers. My friend from earlier found your number and is forcing me to text you. I was wondering if you would like to have coffee with me today?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That spy business ain’t no joke, huh? Yea, sure. I’ll send you where I’m at rn and we can meet up when I’m done with work. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>With confirmation, the Alpha hopped onto his motorcycle and made his way to the church where the omega hosted a Veterans peer counseling meeting. Steve tried to waste some time as he walked into the building. The man was not ready for the emotional rawness required by those types of meetings, so he examined the modernly designed church with supportive modern values. It was nice to be in a place of God that fully accepted him and others without hate, corruption, or shame. The church was a good choice on Sam’s part, Steve thought. The Alpha quietly stepped into the meeting hall and leaned against a beam as he watched the meeting end unable to help his curiosity to see what it was actually like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The thing is, I think it’s getting worse? A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk,” a brunette woman with a tired face leaned forward, “I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam leaned attentively on the podium and nodded his head in understanding. “Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It’s our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It’s up to you.” The group sat in silence for a moment, Sam’s eyes glanced over to Steve along with a few others who followed Wilson’s gaze. “Thank you all for coming today. Thank you for your stories. I’ll see y’all next time. Remember there’s coffee and donuts in the back,” Sam dismissed the group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve moved back out into the hallway before he disturbed more meeting goers with his presence. The blond distracted himself with children’s artwork hung around the halls that celebrated life and their life with God. The Catholic church would probably never be this free-formed with their faith no matter how much the man wished it, but it wasn’t as though Steve was the strictest practitioner in the church anymore anyway. Sam moved past Steve to a table with resources to make sure the pamphlets were set out properly as he said goodbye to a few of the members of the Veteran PTSD support group. From the corner of his eye, Steve watched the omega walk out with the woman who spoke last, a beta who was clearly nervous around the smiling man. Soon enough Sam walked back in and Steve met him at the resource table and just stared as the omega cleaned up with practiced ease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look who it is. The running man,” Sam turned his gap-toothed smile onto Steve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alpha leaned against the corner of the table, hands in pockets, and shoulders slouched. The man felt at ease with Sam enough that his anxieties showed through his normally carefully composed demeanor. While Steve wasn’t finicky with his attraction or with what designation his friends had, he always felt safer around omegas. When Steve had been smaller it made sense, especially when he was with Bucky, who like Sam, had been a large omega comparative to the stereotypes. Steve and Bucky had been near each other often enough that others swapped their scents and Steve’s position as an Alpha wouldn’t be challenged. Now, Steve knew he was intimidating and those fears and preferences from before had no place now. Omegas wouldn’t see Steve as just a useless and harmless Alpha with how big he was now and Steve did his best to transfer that awareness with Sam. But the large omega, in the ten minutes the Alpha had known him, just felt comfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Caught the last few minutes. It’s pretty intense,” Steve replied finally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, brother, we all got the same problems,” Sam looked down and away from the Alpha. “Guilt, regret.” Sam sucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he glanced up at Steve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You lose someone?” the Alpha asked softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam’s shoulders dropped a bit as he nodded. “My bondmate. My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission. Standard PJ rescue OP, nothing we hadn’t done a thousand times before, till a RPG knocked Riley’s dumb ass out of the sky,” Sam’s arms crossed tightly across his thick broad chest, brown eyes looked too blue. “Nothing I could do. It’s like I was up there just to watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve’s gaze dropped down as the emotion of watching his own bondmate die washed over him again. Apparently, Steve felt safe enough to allow that heavy feeling to move through him and taint his scent around a complete stranger. The Alpha understood deeply the loss of a mate and for Sam to be strong enough to survive beyond that broken bond and the trauma of seeing his mate’s death was strength. Not to say that those that didn’t survive weren’t strong, but Sam clearly was a special kind of person to push through that sort of pain and help others.  </span>
</p><p><span>“I’m sorry,” Steve whispered with a shake of his head.</span><span><br/></span> <span>“After that, I had a really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?” Sam replied rhetorically.</span></p><p>
  <span>Steve understood that too, but the Alpha didn’t have that sort of tenacity for life. Sam was admirable. The Alpha had gone through his guilt and grief of losing Bucky and attempted to take his life instead of making a new one. But like many that had lost their bondmates, often it didn’t feel like a new life could be had and people around always reinforced that experience. With their pitying gazes, the guilt compounded and death seemed like the only out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’re happy now, back in the world?” Steve asked carefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam looked around with a small smile and nodded. “Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero, so, hell, yeah,” Sam put his attention back on Steve and gave him a knowing look. “You thinking about getting out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Steve said immediately. Then looked around with the realization no one from SHIELD was there to rat on him and so the man shrugged instead. “I don't know. To be honest. I don’t know what I would do with myself if I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ultimate fighting?” Sam replied quickly, his smile grew bigger when Steve laughed. “It’s just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve sighed with another shake of his head, “I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam studied the Alpha and chuckled, “I think you do know. Walk with me, help me out with the coffee in the other room. These guys don’t drink enough of it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I don’t mind sitting down with you, but unfortunately caffeine does nothing to me,” Steve hummed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alpha followed the omega back into the room where Sam had been listening to veteran’s stories and took a seat in a chair that faced a few others. Sam came over with two cups of warm coffee and handed one to Steve despite what the Alpha had claimed. A large delicate hand took the cup with a quiet thanks because even if coffee was useless, he was nothing if not accommodating to those that showed the bare minimum amount of kindness towards him. That was how Bucky got stuck with Steve for so long, at least until Steve realized what they were to each other, and the real reason Bucky stuck around for so long.</span>
</p><p><span>“So, Captain Rogers,” Sam started teasingly. “What makes you happy?”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“I know what used to make me happy,” Steve started and waited for Sam to reply but the man just sat patiently for Steve to continue. “My bondmate. Everything I did was to make sure he could be who he wanted without rules getting in the way. I followed him into a war and then he followed me.” The man chewed on the inside of his cheek as he stared into the dark black of the heated beverage. “I regret ever asking him to follow me after what he’d been through. Should have just sent him home.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Sam hummed and leaned back with a loud sip of his coffee, clearly trying to ease some of the tension in the room. Steve appreciated the gesture, it was similar to how Bucky treated him when he got too serious too fast. The omega crossed his ankle over his knee, a free handheld the knee as he contemplated what Steve had admitted. Sam had that look that Tony had when Steve mentioned his bondmate, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> bondmate. Clearly, not everyone had been convinced by the retelling of Steve Roger’s history. Most of those skeptics seemed to be omegas themselves, maybe one day Steve would dig a bit deeper into why that was. But right now, Sam had questions and Steve was desperate to tell anyone his reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you were bonded to Peggy Carter?” Sam finally asked the question everyone did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve snorted and shook his head. “No, actually… I was bonded to Bucky Barnes.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, history gets rewritten again, huh?” Sam’s eyes widened at the thought. The omega took another sip of his coffee with obvious consideration of the Alpha in front of him. “So, you know what it feels like when your bondmate dies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought I did, but, the mark is still there and everyone wants me to try to get rid of it so I can move on or something,” Steve rambled with a pathetic chuckle. Blue eyes bore into his untouched coffee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you hooked up with anyone since coming back?” Sam teased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently, Sam had perfected the balance of pulling someone out of their woes just enough for it to not be disarming. Steve was always surprised by how easily everyone talked about sex in this future, not that he minded it because it wasn’t as if Steve was a saint himself. Steve briefly thought about how much Bucky would have loved it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have, actually,” Steve laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a boyfriend? Girlfriend? Then?” Steve swallowed with a shake of his head as he glanced at Sam feeling the shame everyone placed on him. “You know, I don’t think you need to. You’ve been defrosted for… What? Three years? I think given the suicide attempt, you’re entitled to wait as long as you need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve looked away when Sam mentioned his suicide attempt. It was the blunt truth and while Steve might have shied away from it, Sam probably understood better than anyone else what it felt to watch one’s bondmate die. If moving beyond Bucky’s death meant accepting everything that came with it, suicide attempt(s) included, maybe Steve might be able to live his life again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes I think the bond is still there, just noiseless. Like your radio is connected to a station, but nothing is playing, it’s just silence,” Steve started. “But, I have no idea what’s normal because no one in the twenty-first century apparently has been bonded, or I guess survived the death of their bondmate,” Steve admitted, sort of desperate to know if he was crazy or not about his bondmate’s death not feeling like death.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam’s eyes widened in surprise and shook his head. “That’s not what it’s supposed to feel like. With Riley, his death was fast. I felt it snap like a broken rope. No radio connection period. What you just described is what I’ve heard people say about their mates that are in comas.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alpha stared at Sam for a long moment and set his coffee to the side to try to pry more into what Sam felt when his bondmate died. But there was a sudden intrusion in his chest where quiet nothingness had been before. If Steve hadn’t been sitting down he was sure he would have fallen over with the force of the sudden static that filled the previously quiet space. The force of emotions that overcame Steve as his bond heated with the distinct presence of </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span>, was a cold shock to the system. Steve gripped his chest and leaned forward in pain like he was experiencing a heart attack from before the serum. Just as quickly as he felt his bondmate’s presence he felt horrible pain. Steve’s hand landed on Sam’s knee with a tight squeeze as he collapsed to the ground. The omega called his name, asked if he was okay, and all the Alpha could do was grind his teeth to stop himself from sobbing in pain. The bond was overwhelming and for Steve, shocking and surprising. The bond filled with more pain and fear than Steve had ever experienced with the exception of when Bucky fell from the train. Eventually, the bond dulled into the natural quiet connection that had been normal for his bond with Bucky before the omega’s death.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve, after he managed to catch a few steadied breaths, looked up at Sam opened and closed his mouth until he could say: “</span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> alive.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please leave love, hate, thoughts, concerns, and whatever else you like in the comments. </p><p>Kudos/subscriptions all of the things above keep me going &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Bonds Reignited and Suppressed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Unbeta'd. </p><p>Trigger warning: assassination/violence</p><p>Thank you.</p><p>UPDATED: 4/26/2021</p><p>This story is a lot longer than it was, this used to be a chapter with Alexander Peirce, and it no longer is.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>UNKNOWN FACILITY. January 9th, 2014. 1130.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the Asset woke it was violent. The omega gasped and screamed for something unknown. Defrosting was always a shocking process to the system especially after he thought he had finally been decommissioned after his missteps on the last few missions. Although his handler and Alpha had said he had done well, the Asset had lost yet another bondmate. While Rumlow had been sick in the head, he might have been the Asset’s favorite because rarely had </span>
  <em>
    <span>those</span>
  </em>
  <span> words been spoken during his time with the Alpha. But the Soldier must have done something disappointing to lose a decent handler. Without a handler present, waking this time had been an entirely different experience than the past century with HYDRA. Not only was the Soldier remembering too much all of a sudden, but the dis-ease he had grown used to, that the Asset had assumed was his programming had blossomed into something else upon his wake. The uncomfortable quiet that had been masked by mate after mate now buzzed with activity. The omega was overwhelmed. While the Soldier could acknowledge whatever had ignited inside of him was a bond, it was extraordinarily different from all the others he’d had under HYDRA’s control. Of course, the medics that woke the Asset didn’t care about the physical pain of what he experienced. Not that the Soldier could or even would explain if given the opportunity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometime between the waking screams and the introspective examination of himself, the medics had strapped the Asset to a metal bed as a method of controlling him. The Soldier was used to bonds, used to waking up with a connection that was already there, but this one that filled with grief and surprise was tangibly different. Memories invaded his mind of times so long ago the Asset wasn’t even sure if it was real. HYDRA had attempted to remove this deeply embedded connection from him while they created the soldier and had been wholly unsuccessful. The super-soldier remembered the only reason he had given in was because that connection had become quiet and null, a supposed death of the person on the other side. Now, the bond was filled with emotions the Soldier didn’t recognize or care to feel anymore. The omega finally became quiet as the medics finished their necessary health check and eventually left him alone in the white sterile room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset pushed back against the fluttering in the bond to try and silence whoever sat on the other side. It would become a distraction easily and the Asset was not fond of the pain that would come if he could not do whatever task he was assigned. The Soldier stared up at the fluorescent ceiling and listened to light footsteps. Familiar in their pattern so the Asset scented the air to discover the scent of a familiar handler. Grey eyes fell on the man he used to have a temporary bond with as he came up to the side of the table with a far too amused grin. This handler had aged, but barely so it must not have been that long since the Asset’s last mission. HYDRA must be desperate to use him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I certainly missed your cute face,” Rumlow teased. The Alpha gripped the Asset’s face, turning it side to side with an admiring hum. “What do you remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The omega allowed the other to touch his face, not that he had much choice given he was strapped down with electromagnetic cuffs. “[You were my bondmate. I failed several missions and became decommissioned,]” the Soldier replied in Russian. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did the medics ask for a status update? I heard you woke roughly,” Rumlow asked as he turned off the cuffs that held the Soldier down. The Alpha motioned for the Asset to sit up, so he complied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[They did not.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Status update?” Rumlow asked impatiently. The man took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest examining the Winter Soldier fully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Functional.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything to cause the rough awakening?”</span>
</p><p><span>The Soldier stared at Rumlow for a long moment, trying to decipher how to explain what was occurring. If he said anything wrong there would be pain. There was also the possibility that the Soldier wasn’t supposed to have a bond and there would be significant consequences of even mentioning it. On the other hand, it was clear he was withholding information and if he didn’t say exactly what was the cause he’d certainly be tortured. Grey eyes slid back to hazelnut brown that swam with the promise of untold horrendous acts and made his decision.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“[I have a bond.]” The Soldier watched as the Alpha in front of him tried to hide his surprise. </span></p><p><span>Rumlow’s eyebrows darted up quickly, fell into a furrow, before settling again. “You don’t have a bond.”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“[I have a bond. Whoever it is, has many emotions,]” the Soldier complained. </span></p><p>
  <span>Rumlow’s face turned into an angry sneer at hearing the Soldier’s contradictory statements. The Asset wasn’t sure if the man was upset because whoever he was bonded to was compromising him, or if the Asset wasn’t supposed to acknowledge the intense bond he had. Whichever it was Rumlow wasn’t given the chance to show the Soldier how he felt about it as another man walked in. Karpov. In the man’s hand was a red book with a faded yellow star. The omega took in and released a shallow breath at the sight of that book. The brunet’s grey eyes traveled from the book back to Rumlow, whose sneer grew into a cruel grin. Rumlow’s sociopathy was showing. The Soldier knew the man would try to convince Karpov that the Soldier needed his mind wiped first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Director Pierce will be joining us in a moment,” Karpov warned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rumlow’s smile turned into a frown. “Is he going to want alone time with the Asset?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karpov choked a bit and stared at Rumlow with disgust. “There is no time. HYDRA is being forced to reveal itself. Pierce wants to ensure the Fist of HYDRA is ready for its task.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re still calling him an it then?” Rumlow snorted.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karpov scoffed and rolled his eyes, the messy pink man looked back to the Winter Soldier. “You’re still babying it, I see.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two always fight like little omega bitches when it comes to Sergeant Barnes,” Alexander Pierce spoke crudely as he walked into the too-white medical room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two men quickly stood to attention, hands clasped behind their backs, and postured themselves as if they were real soldiers. The Winter Soldier himself had no posture change, his left side always fell lower than his right, but his posture was as perfect as it could be with his feet dangling off the metal bed. The Asset stared ahead at the wall blankly schooling his face from the conversation he had been having. If there was any indication that he felt emotion or had his own thoughts in front of Pierce he’d end up begging for death. The Soldier wouldn’t pretend like he knew who the Director was speaking about. That name was familiar, but it wasn’t his. All the Asset really hoped for was that Karpov was right in that the Soldier would not be left alone with Pierce. Especially because whoever was on the other side of his bond was desperate to figure out how to find him, but they never would.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soldier, status update,” Pierce commanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Functional.]” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rumlow, give me Sergeant Barnes’ status update,” Pierce snapped at Rumlow clearly unsatisfied with the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His soul bond is active.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pierce paused in front of the Soldier, gripped the omega’s too-long hair on the side of his head, and wrenched it to the side to look at the bond mark. The Asset knew it had been there longer than HYDRA and that it hadn’t left after almost seventy years of HYDRA trying to remove it. Because it had been dormant the Soldier was able to bond to other Alphas fairly successfully, but that never could replace what Rumlow described as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>soul</span>
  </em>
  <span> bond. That settled in the Soldier uncomfortably, knowing he had a soul mate this entire time, a concept he wasn’t even sure if HYDRA would accept him knowing and understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soldier, are you compromised?”</span>
</p><p><span>“[No,]” the Soldier replied honestly.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>The Asset wasn’t compromised. Yes, whoever was on the other side was quite the irritant, but that didn’t alter his own stability. </span></p><p><span>“Rumlow?” Pierce asked, the man, after decades of working with the Winter Soldier, never learned how to tell when the Asset lied.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“I don’t think it’ll be a problem. Rogers has long left the building and is God knows where. They shouldn’t run into each other unless Rogers suddenly becomes unpredictable,” Rumlow responded confidently.</span></p><p>
  <span>Pierce snorted, the Asset could see that the Alpha hated Rumlow’s smugness. “Make him wear a mask so he can’t smell the air. It’ll compromise his abilities only slightly, but we cannot have the Asset slip if Rogers does become unpredictable. Director Fury has to die today and that will cause chaos in the ranks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think a mind wipe would be a good next step,” Rumlow suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Soldier is fine. As long as he doesn’t remember who Rogers is and his bond doesn’t compromise his ability to listen, just use the book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that Pierce left the room and group of men. The bare-chested Soldier was left with two men who probably despised his existence more than appreciated his use as a weapon. The next thirty minutes became a blur. Rumlow escorted the Soldier out of the medical facility to showers where the omega cleaned himself in front of Rumlow. In the past, the Alpha assisted the Winter Soldier when they were bonded. But that also usually came with bonded touch. The Asset briefly allowed himself to wonder if his newly discovered bond was the only thing that Rumlow had respect for and that was why he observed rather than participated. After the shower, he was ushered to a quiet area where other agents helped the Soldier dress in new gear, similar to what he wore every time he woke up, but far more lightweight than before. Rumlow placed the mask over the Asset’s lower face after spreading black anti-reflective paint over his eyes sloppily. The Soldier wore goggles that kept him focused on his target without interference from UV or other distractions. Karpov walked into the room once the Soldier was dressed with weapons stashed and slung around him. The Asset wouldn’t receive his mission until Karpov and Rumlow felt that he was focused enough and with barely an hour to prepare an assassination, the red book would be necessary for the Soldier’s focus. Despite knowing this, the anxiety still filled his body at the prospect of losing his mind into subservience and need to please. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ [Longing, rusted, seventeen, daybreak, furnace, nine, benign, homecoming, one, freight car,]” Karpov spoke without hesitation, deliberate, and with confidence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each word forced a small facial twitch as the omega felt whoever he really was disappearing as obedience slowly took over his mind. The process was always painful, but it removed any concerns the omega had over the fullness in his chest in the present. Or in the past, Rumlow’s desire to ensure the Soldier inflicted the most amount of pain on whoever the target was. While mere seconds passed by, the Soldier felt as though it was hours of struggle against the programming that took over his mind. Eventually, the Winter Soldier slid into place and relaxed, ready for his mission. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Asset is ready,” Karpov told Rumlow, the pair stared at the completely covered face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winter Soldier’s mission is to kill Director Fury by the end of the day no matter what it takes. You will be waiting for him at the Federal Reserve of the District of Columbia on 3rd and 6th. His vehicle will be chased by HYDRA agents dressed as police, they will force him into using his car’s navigation system. That car will bring him directly to you. If you do not hit your target when he is brought to you. You will track him until you do kill him. If you do not kill him by 2400 you will rendezvous at this location. Do not get caught. Kill whoever is with Director Nick Fury. Do not disappoint us. This is HYDRA’s moment to come into the light and succeed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Will you comply, Soldier?]” Karpov asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Da.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>FEDERAL RESERVE OF DISTRICT COLUMBIA. January 9th, 2014. 1243.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Soldier hid the motorcycle he had been given behind a back alley off of 8th street. By the alerts that filtered through his comm the Asset’s target would arrive in no more than three minutes. The other HYDRA Agents had failed to apprehend or kill Target: Nicholas Fury, Director of SHIELD, but successfully ensured the bug planted in the Target’s car would lead to the Soldier’s assassination point. The Asset had not done a public assassination in five decades, but it did not matter. The Target would die today. On foot, he moved towards where he would stand and wait with several types of pistols attached to his body and a FN Mk 13, modified for HYDRA’s disk grenades, on his back. The Soldier moved into place, pulled the grenade launcher from his back, and aimed it. The disk was magnetized so all the Soldier had to do was shoot it in the general direction of the SUV that barreled towards the Asset. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The suburban was impacted by the explosion from the back end, flipped up, and slid directly in the Asset’s path. With a small movement, the Fist of HYDRA was out of the vehicle’s way as it landed on its top. It was clear based on the damage already done to the vehicle that HYDRA agents had done their best to destroy the suburban and the Target inside. They had obviously been unsuccessful, thus the necessity of the Weapon. If this was how useless HYDRA’s people were now if they couldn’t simply kill a man, no wonder the Winter Soldier had been taken out of cryo. The Soldier moved, left side always making his walk slower than he would have thought was appropriately efficient, but HYDRA had never been bothered. Or maybe they couldn’t fix it, that was not mission important, so the Asset shoved the thought to the side. As the Winter Soldier came upon the upturned smoking black SUV he gripped the passenger side door he had seen the Target look through and tore it off. With a quick glance inside the Soldier saw the Target was gone. The man had created a hole down into the sewers and subway tunnels below. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Target has entered subway tunnels. I am pursuing,]” the Soldier spoke into the comm in his mask. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will track his allies on our end, continue with the mission,” Rumlow replied through the radio. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Soldier did not give his handler a reply, slid into the car feet first and down into the hole. Heavily booted feet took the impact harshly, the metal on and inside of his body made it difficult for any landing to be soft. The omega could alter the impact of the weight while he walked or ran, but a fall or jump down made the task next to impossible. The Winter Soldier assessed the surroundings, his goggles provided him with a GPS location and a map of sewers and transit underneath the city of DC. A grunt escaped his lips as emotions from that heavy hole inside of his body tried to push through and disrupt him from his task. Whoever was on the other side of it was trying to find him, but this was not the time to focus on something so compromising. The Asset had a mission to complete and no Alpha that didn’t hold that red book and didn’t command him would stop him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sloughing through water was difficult with the amount of weight he carried, not just in his body, but the weapons on it. The Soldier always required multiple weapon choices when it came to difficult targets, most were visible on his body while others were hidden. The man paused at a junction and listened to where the Target might have gone. To the left was the red line, the right was more sewers. Rumlow had provided locations for SHIELD agents that Fury trusted, more specifically, their homes. Captain Rogers was the closest so the Asset turned to the left and headed towards the redline maintenance tunnels. Navigating maintenance tunnels took time the Soldier felt as though he didn’t have, but the Asset had to avoid trains, maintenance workers as well as tourists who paid too much attention to their surroundings. If he allowed himself the thought, all of that work was better than moving through the District of Columbia’s sewage. Once the omega managed to get above ground again he found himself at Farragut Square.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Radio static ended and his handler’s voice came through, “-tus update! Winter Soldier. Status update!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[I have arrived at Farragut Square. My intention was to survey Captain Roger’s home as that is the closest to my location].”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“CCTV has spotted Director Fury near that area, proceed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Soldier did as he was told, pleased with himself despite that desperate calling of his handler, glad that he had followed his instinct so closely. His attention wished to question why Rumlow no longer trusted him, but it had to have been because they were no longer bonded. That most likely agitated the Alpha as he no longer had control or awareness of the Asset. Upon arrival at the apartment complex, the sun was setting, so he would have to get into position quickly. The Soldier ran to where Captain Roger’s apartment was located, slipped into the alley of the building next door, and climbed his way up with confidence and determination. Fury would not slip away this time. Once on top of the roof the Asset scanned the SHIELD Agent’s apartment and spotted Fury’s bloodied leg. That would not be sufficient enough to kill the man, so he would prepare himself and wait for Fury to move into a better, more compromising position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the Soldier bid his time he heard a song play throughout the apartment over and over again. The altered speeds or occasional stutters told him it was a record that was being played. The Asset didn’t even have the mind to consider the implications of twenty-first-century people playing old records. As the song played a conversation right outside the apartment the Director sat in was muffled. Curiously enough after fifteen minutes of breathless pause, he heard a window open on the outside of the apartment he watched and quiet feet slide inside. The Soldier was envious of how quiet the intruder was, even with his years and skill, the weight of his body grew more every time he woke which made it increasingly more difficult to keep his feet quiet. As the Soldier listened he predicted that either the owner of the apartment had become aware of some stranger in his home, or Fury was someone else’s target. Which did not matter to the Soldier, really, as long as the Director died, why did it matter whose bullet did it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t remember giving you a key,” a muffled baritone voice grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That answered the Asset’s question. The owner of the apartment was rightfully paranoid and the Soldier would have to keep in mind that Captain Rogers was smart and quick. Thus, the Winter Soldier would have to leave quickly after he killed Fury. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really think I’d need one?” There was an undecipherable shift as the song continued to muffle voices. “My wife kicked me out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t know you were married,” Rogers scoffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The omega was surprised by how offended the Alpha seemed to be. Everyone, as far as he knew, was a spy if they were an Agent of SHIELD, and both of these men were, thus spies usually never made deeply embedded connections at SHIELD or HYDRA. That was how people kept themselves safe, that was also why only well-trained handlers were able to bond with the Asset. So, Captain Rogers was either new to SHIELD or not a spy at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A lot of things you don’t know about me.”</span>
</p><p><span>“I know, Nick. That’s the problem.”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>A light went on, a better visual of the apartment, the Soldier adjusted his position accordingly and quietly thanked Captain Rogers for being the worst spy the Soldier had ever encountered. The Target turned the light off and the conversation became confusing and difficult to follow. Not that it really mattered when trying to assassinate a target, at least that's what he had been told. Realistically conversations helped the Soldier predict movements and when conversations went against predictable movements, the Asset had to think faster than all of the memory wiping allowed him to be capable of. Not only did the Soldier have to really use his brainpower, but a nagging feeling in his chest tried to distract him. It was there as if to tell the omega that he was close to his bondmate, a bondmate that had not stopped experiencing emotional turmoil. The Asset pushed against it again, trying to shut down any compromising behaviors he might feel.</span></p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Captain Rogers looked around the apartment before he turned his attention onto Fury. If Captain Rogers had been his target, the man would have been dead ten times by now. The Alpha had to be an absolute idiot, how had HYDRA hired such an incompetent fool?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who else knows about your wife?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Fury stood from where he sat, only part of his body visible, but with the conversation, the man might move forward more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just… My friends.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Code. The Soldier decided. The men in the room were speaking in a coded language. What a strange coded language it was, but the Director had seen the Winter Soldier. If the Director was worth his weight in anything he did with SHIELD, he would know who the Winter Soldier was. This fact alone alerted the Soldier that the pair knew HYDRA was ready to destroy SHIELD and come out to the world. These men would most likely do anything to prevent that if Target: Fury’s determination to survive told the Asset anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what we are?” Captain Rogers asked disbelievingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nick fury moved forward, perfect, one more step, and the Target would be in a one-hit range. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s up to you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man took another step forward and the Asset shot once then two more times more quickly after realizing he had missed the man’s head. That bond had morphed from concern to anger, far too distracting of an emotion for the omega to ignore. Anger meant pain, but pain would come because the kill wasn’t clean. The Asset, after the initial panic that he had missed, realized he had managed to puncture two bullets through the heart and acknowledged that it should have been sufficient enough to kill the Target. Captain Rogers moved the Target’s body which prevented the Asset from seeing if his Target had actually died yet and in the movement, the Alpha spotted the omega’s metal shoulder. The Asset cursed softly under his breath, the arm was a symbol of HYDRA and HYDRA wanted those who lived to see the Winter Soldier to know he did it, so they never covered his arm. The Soldier got to work on dismantling his sniper, continuing to listen to make sure his target was dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t… Trust… Anyone,” the Target coughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Soldier listened as the Target’s heartbeat slowed down. Then more shuffling occurred in the apartment until Captain Roger’s front door was broken open. The Asset knew he should head back to the rendezvous point, but he did not feel sure his job was done, so he remained. The omega certainly wasn’t frozen in place because the buzzing in his chest was close and angry and desperate for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Rogers?” A soft voice called and wavered anxiously. “Captain, I’m Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m assigned to protect you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On whose order?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The buzzing in the Asset’s chest grew angrier and filled with distrust. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His.” The woman moved to hide down next to the Target, she spoke into her radio, “Foxtrot is down, he’s unresponsive. I need EMTs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Target eliminated. EMT’s called,]” the Soldier murmured into his comm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Return to the rendezvous point,” his handler responded just as quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have a twenty on the shooter?” A SHIELD agent more muffled than the rest of the voices responded on her radio.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset was still glanced through the window to see if he could find Fury’s body but instead found Captain Rogers looking at him again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell him I’m in pursuit.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shit. The Soldier was completely compromised, that much was clear, he’d give himself over to HYDRA and his handler for a memory wipe. The Soldier ran across the building, ignored the sound of glass shattering behind and beneath him. The Asset jumped across three alleyways until he heard more glass breath right behind him as a man landed and the air around him moved. With a quick glance and shift of his Weapon, the Soldier reached up and caught a red, white, and blue shield. The Asset didn’t know when this happened, but his goggles had fallen off in the process of this pursuit and left the Soldier no choice but to make eye contact with Captain Rogers. The bright sky blue eyes and chiseled face seemed familiar. The Soldier couldn’t scent the air, he wasn’t allowed to. Something else told him that whatever scent he came into contact with would compromise his mission. But the Asset was already compromised because the bond sang and burned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Weapon threw the shield back, knocking the wind out of Captain Roger’s long enough for the omega to jump down from the building and steal a car in the vicinity. The Asset was directed by comm on how to get back to HYDRA’s underground facility inside of SHIELD headquarters. It didn’t take long, traffic was light that night despite the destruction HYDRA inflicted in the streets. The Soldier abandoned the car outside of SHIELD and made his way into the underground facility. HYDRA agents around him stared in awe or shook in fear as he powered through the halls to the medical facility he would be examined at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will see if you succeeded,” Rumlow hummed, “They took him to the hospital in the time you managed to get here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Mission report,]” Karpov demanded as the Soldier was stripped down to just his pants and boots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Target shot three times in the home of Captain Rogers. Captain Rogers was a witness to the assassination and myself. Agent 13 called Target’s body in.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you make contact with Captain Rogers?” Rumlow demanded, the man’s blood pressure went up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Soldier would have to be careful, for an unknown reason his handler was anxious about Captain Rogers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Captain Rogers saw me, pursued me, threw his shield at me. I did not make physical contact with the agent. The Alpha said no words to me.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Status update,” Rumlow growled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently, that was not the answer the man wanted. The Soldier looked around as medical professionals came in, a mind wipe would occur and possibly an injection into his bonding glands that the Red Room had not been permitted to remove. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Compromised,]” the Soldier replied truthfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rumlow growled and grabbed the Asset by his too-long hair forcing him to his knees. Karpov looked pleased that Rumlow manhandled the Soldier in front of the rest of the agents in the room. The Russian had always been displeased by the way Rumlow treated the Asset, Karpov did not fully know the cruelty and anger Rumlow felt towards the Soldier. Rumlow had tried to keep those feelings private between the Soldier and the Alpha.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Compromised how?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My bondmate wants me to return to them,” the Soldier replied in plain English.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Compromised. The Asset was not permitted to speak in English or any other language other than Russian or German. The omega would be punished and his mind wiped. Panic rose through him, olive skin flushed exposing a maroon color to his features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rumlow slapped his now bare face with a growl and tugged the omega’s hair again to pull a cry from the Asset’s lips. “Who is your bondmate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” the Winter Soldier replied honestly despite the pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You will be wiped and we are going to attempt to remove your bond again,” Rumlow growled at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset felt the panic take over as he dislodged his handler and backed up into the medical supplies. The cart crashed to the ground and the people in white scattered to the walls of the room to get as far away from him as they could. The Soldier could hear his two handlers argue and his own mouth make noises he didn’t recognize until he backed himself into a corner holding his head shaking. All he wanted was to be dead. All he was supposed to be was nothing. But inside of his chest was someone trying to tell him that he wasn’t dead and he wasn’t nothing. It compromised his programming to the point he didn’t resist as a bold doctor injected him with a full syringe of sedative.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading.</p><p>Please leave comments, thoughts, hate, love, suggestions.</p><p>leave kudos, subscribe etc.</p><p>All of it fuels me!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Complications and Disbelief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>unbeta'd. </p>
<p>TW: obvious character "death"</p>
<p>UPDATED: 4/26/2021</p>
<p>shorter chapter than the rest too just cause of the way the content was made. Next chapter is extra long.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL. January 10th, 2014. 0000.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha stood contemplatively as his commanding officer was operated upon. Maria Hill stood a few feet to the left with anxious energy spilling off the pair of them and warding off any unwanted guests. While the Alpha was sure Maria was considering her next moves with the Director decommissioned, Steve’s focus remained on the pain in his chest through the bond. The blond had smelled the assassin on the roof, felt the tug of his bond. Upset-filled Steve was what that meant for him and what his bondmate had become. Grey eyes had been illuminated enough by the moon and the city lights of DC for Steve to recognize, but the rest of the man’s face had been covered, so the Alpha couldn’t be positive. Or maybe Steve didn’t want to face the reality of his bond’s recognition of </span>
  <em>
    <span>mate</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The Alpha’s bond had sung, it wanted the man to reach for the assassin, but of course, Steve hesitated. Something clearly was not right. Bucky had died. Steve watched his bondmate die and felt him disappear from their soul bond. But the scent was unmistakable, it had changed slightly as it was now flavored thoroughly with fear and pain, but underneath the scent was wholeheartedly Bucky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he gonna make it?” Natasha asked as she took her place next to Steve.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blond frowned, still not sure he could trust the woman, but she always knew when to pull him out of spiraling thoughts. Natasha always knew when he was wallowing in the loss of his omega, and while loss may not be entirely appropriate in this instance, it was still eerie. Steve didn’t spare the woman a glance and rather gave himself a moment to center himself back into the present, control his always overpowering scent a little more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Steve finally answered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me about the shooter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve sucked in a breath, he couldn’t say that the shooter was Bucky. That would not have made any sense and Natasha might place more than Agent 13 on his tail. The Alpha knew he would sound crazy for even suggesting that not only was his omega alive, but his omega was the man that had attempted to assassinate Director Fury. Natasha would throw Steve in a padded cell somewhere beneath SHIELD for sure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s fast and strong. Had a metal arm,” the Alpha described as blandly as he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maria joined their side while she stared at her phone. It had chirped to alert the woman about lab results the pair had been waiting on. The results might lead them in the direction of the metal armed assassin or send them on a wild goose chase of a man Steve wondered if he had made up in desperation of having his mate back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha spoke first, “Ballistics?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable,” Hill replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve could see in the reflection of Natasha in the window as her green eyes grew wider as if she knew who the man was that put Fury in this condition. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soviet-made,” Natasha prompted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Maria stared at the red-headed spy suspiciously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly the monitors around Nick Fury and the Director’s surgical team began beeping at different paces and pitches. A warning to everyone that watched that a man’s death was imminent without intervention. The three SHIELD agents watched helplessly as Fury died in front of them. Any ability to trust each other became almost a hopeless request. Steve slipped his hands into his pockets to squeeze the flash drive Fury had given him and took a few steps back. The man waited with a deep breath in as the Doctor and nurses stepped away from the Director’s body to call Fury’s time of death. Once it was official, Steve stepped out of the room to catch his almost agonizing breaths to think without all of the noise. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL. January 10th, 2014. 0833.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After the sun rose Fury’s body was presented by a mortician to go through the process of the death certificate. Fury’s body had to be confirmed that the man that died in surgery was in fact, Nick Fury. The task was left to Steve, Natasha, and Maria to confirm, who were the highest-ranking spies to have a more personal relationship with the man. It was a strange sight, a man that Steve had argued with not twenty-four hours prior was now dead on a metal table that for any living person, was probably horribly uncomfortable. The room and the way Fury’s body was presented looked impersonal and experimental, not a sight anyone should be forced to look at even willingly. Steve stood in the back of the room against the wall with Maria Hill as Natasha stood at the dead man’s side. Maria reeked of sorrow and pain while Natasha actually looked the part. The Alpha wasn’t sure he had ever heard of Natasha crying, there weren’t even jokes or rumors about her ever having shed a tear. Yet here the internationally acclaimed spy was, back to Steve as she cried over a man that gave them continually compromising orders. To associate Natasha with emotion was extremely contrary to the woman that never smelled of anything ever, let alone the sorrow and grief she performed. Although, Steve had to separate his distrust from the display because it wasn’t as if he could pick up on any of her emotional subtleties. The man assumed it had to do with her Russian upbringing because even in the small prying they did into each other she never talked about Russia or why her scent glands didn’t work. And because she had never offered the information readily, Steve never asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maria moved closer to Steve and breathed out shakily. “I need to take him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was the grief Steve hadn’t seen earlier, it morphed Maria’s face cruelly as tears slipped through the carefully placed facade. The Alpha couldn’t bring himself to feel much of anything when there was so much internal conflict that surrounded Fury’s death. Who had actually done it? Was the man with the metal arm actually Bucky? Why was HYDRA choosing this moment to come out of the shadows? Then there was the nagging thought in the back of Steve’s mind that Fury didn’t actually smell dead. Steve had been around a lot of dead bodies during World War Two in different stages of death and decay. The smell was always distinctive, even in modern times when preservatives were used to slow the process, the smell couldn’t be hidden. The other thought was that maybe Steve felt resentment for being forced back into the world and he was suspicious of anything Fury-related because of the man’s seemingly strange decisions. Finally, Steve nodded his head slowly after he brought himself back from deep thought and moved to Natasha’s side. The blond wanted to at least try to maintain the friendship he had until it was clear the woman </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>HYDRA. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Natasha,” Steve whispered. The woman ignored him and walked out of the room into a hallway where the STRIKE team and Rumlow waited. That was suspicious, but not his primary focus. “Natasha!” Steve called again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The red head whipped around and glared at Steve distrustfully. “Why was Fury in your apartment?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The spy was at least aware enough to keep her voice low enough to not draw the attention of Rumlow or the STRIKE team. What the woman wanted to speak about probably shouldn’t be heard by ears Steve knew were HYDRA. Still, the Alpha was alarmed at her sudden inquiry. Maybe it had been naive of Steve to think Natasha would be distracted by Fury’s death enough to not ask questions. So, Steve shrugged, his arms held out and kept his posture open for her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve wanted Natasha to continue to trust him, it worked better in both of their favors. But given that he still didn’t know if he trusted the Russian, he couldn’t tell the woman why Fury was in his home. And Steve was a bad liar which would make him more suspicious to her. They would end up in this vicious cycle of distrust until one of them broke it with the honest truth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cap,” Rumlow interrupted from behind them. “They want you back at SHIELD.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea, give me a second,” the Alpha remained calm and cool when he responded to the black-haired man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They want you there now,” Rumlow demanded with force and laced with threat of his Alpha voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve nodded with wide and surprised eyes, Rumlow had never spoken to him like that before. “Okay,” Steve spoke slowly and turned even slower back to Natasha. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Steve looked back the woman smirked at him with that knowing look she always got when the Alpha had been caught in a terrible lie. She huffed and continued to walk away, “You’re a terrible liar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fingering the USB drive in his pocket he sighed, the Alpha really did not want to bring whatever was in the device back to SHIELD. Fury had removed it from headquarters and given it to Steve for a reason and if Steve was being forced to go to SHIELD’s headquarters. The man was sure he was going into a situation that would end in a fight the Captain could never come back from. The force of Rumlow’s voice, the mysterious metal-armed man that might be his omega, and the death of Fury alluded to HYDRA’s involvement. While Steve considered his next move, the blond heard Sitwell call Rumlow to bring Steve in. Another suspicious move and further proved Steve’s need to hide the USB drive. With a glance around the hallway, the blond found a facilities worker who worked to restock the vending machine. The Alpha looked and saw that Rumlow with the STRIKE team had moved back around the corner at the other end of the hall. It had been easy to convince the worker to let him put the USB drive in there without even having to bribe him. Steve didn’t like it, but he was a public figure and a popular one at that. Once the Alpha had the hiding place settled he meandered back to where Rumlow had stomped off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” the Alpha commanded Rumlow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If a fight was going to happen, Steve was going to go into it head first like always. The Alpha walked straight past Brock with all the confidence and intimidation he could muster up and lead the way into a shit storm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Rumlow grumbled, “STRIKE, move out!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL. January 10th, 2014. 1337.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After an explosive escape from SHIELD headquarters, Steve ran to a safe house Natasha had shown him a long while back. The woman made sure that Steve knew escape routes inside of all major cities so he could lay low if anything happened during a mission. Natasha had told the Alpha these houses weren’t affiliated with SHIELD, and as far as Steve knew, this particular one wasn’t affiliated with HYDRA either. The Alpha was still unsure if Natasha was HYDRA, but based on her pretty severe reaction to Nick Fury’s death, he guessed he could probably rule her out as a double agent. Steve removed his boots and uniform to replace them with civilian sneakers, sweats, and a hoodie he found in the safe house. Exactly his size, so Natasha had expected Steve to use this place eventually. These were clothes Steve would never wear in public, which made them perfect to hide from CCTV around the capital. The shield was more difficult to hide, so he used a jacket moved through back alleys of the city to slip through camera blind spots so his shield wouldn’t be spotted. The blond made his way back into the hospital, with his shield in the bushes outside so that his movement couldn’t be traced by hospital cameras. When he arrived at the vending machine, the USB was gone. Panic began to fill him until Natasha appeared behind him and popped a bubble in his too sensitive ear with a small smirk gracing her pink lips. An intense glare at the woman through the reflection of the machine’s glass was all Steve could handle until his anger got the best of him and he grabbed her by the arm, shoving her into a dim, empty office.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where is it,” the Alpha demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Safe,” the woman breathed cooly, but green eyes widened a bit, surprised at the rage Steve showed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do better!” Steve snapped and pushed his hoodie back so she could see him better.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did you get it?” The red-head tilted slightly.</span>
</p>
<p><span>Steve growled, “Why would I tell you?”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>She scoffed, “Fury gave it to you. Why?”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s on it,” Steve countered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve gripped the woman tighter and shook her. “Stop lying!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I only act like I know everything, Rogers.” </span>
</p>
<p><span>Steve looked behind and out the door, he came through to check that they hadn’t been followed. “I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn’t you?”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>The woman looked shocked, eyes darted every which way as her mouth flapped open and shut. “Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you.” </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Steve pulled her back and hit her body against the wall. “I’m not gonna ask you again.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha was stuck with trying to decide if Natasha was trustworthy or not, and her constant evasiveness was about to take him to a place that he didn’t want to go. By the looks of the fear in her eyes and the very calculated movements the spy made, she understood the blood was beginning to boil over in the Alpha. Steve rarely let his anger get the best of him, but the knowledge that Natasha withheld and stole was enough to drive any already paranoid Alpha to the edge. The danger came with the power the super-soldier held in his body and unregulated emotions because of the undercurrent of omega in constant distress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha breathed out a quiet, “I know who killed Fury.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If the Alpha didn’t have super-soldier hearing he might have missed what the woman had said. But rather, sky blue eyes widened, thick eyebrows shot up. Steve had an idea of who the assassin had been, but as far as he knew, Natasha didn’t know what Bucky looked like unless she had gone to the Smithsonian. Even still, for Natasha, Steve’s long-dead omega was an unlikely candidate and she would most likely attempt to logic her way out of that concept. Not that Steve had even had the opportunity to explore his horrific thought that Bucky was alive and had done this act of violence. Maybe Natasha did know better than Steve and it would make him search elsewhere for his omega.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha’s eyes darted around as she spoke to ensure no one’s prying ears could listen in. “Most of the intelligence community doesn’t believe he exists, the ones who do call him the Winter Soldier. He’s credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve sucked in a breath and maintained eye contact. This was the most truthful Natasha had been in the two years that they had known each other. “So he’s a ghost story.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which made sense, if Bucky </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Winter Soldier. The Winter Soldier would have had to have been born before all the assassinations the assassin had been credited for. As far as Steve knew, paid assassins usually stopped working when their bodies gave out, which was, at most, a twenty-year life span. Bucky was also the only other person Steve was aware of that had been given some version of the super-soldier serum. The omega was also the only person HYDRA experimented with back in the 1940s that hadn’t died from the torture of experimentation. Outside of HYDRA, no one had successfully created a copy as far Steve knew and those that had even come close either died or turned themselves into a mutate of some sort. With the serum, Bucky would have been able to survive all these years without much degradation, especially if HYDRA had altered Bucky’s body as the metal arm suggested HYDRA had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran. Somebody shot out my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me,” Natasha breathed. The woman lifted her shirt up to reveal a heinous scar, red and angry on soft pink skin. “Soviet slug, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the mention of the ballistics Maria Hill told them, Natasha’s guess was probably more correct than Steve’s. But, the Alpha could tell that she had purposefully let out more information. Whether that was how that mission went or if she had met the Winter Soldier more than just that time, it didn’t really matter, but the fact she had purposefully left out information was important for his own mind to note. The red-head had trusted Steve enough to tell him about a mission she believed went wrong and she never told stories about missions going against her favor. So some part of it was the truth and that was enough for Steve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve sighed and tilted his head, “Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That smirk that Natasha had when she tried to not laugh at a bad joke Steve told appeared on her plush lips and flushed cheeks. The sunlight in the room lit her green eyes more clearly. Natasha’s tight body became relaxed now that the pair trusted each other again.</span>
</p>
<p><span> “Going after him is a dead end. I know, I’ve tried,” Natasha held up the USB drive. “Like you said, he’s a ghost story.”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>Steve stared at the flash drive for a second before gently plucking it from her small fingers. Although he wanted to tell Natasha his theory about who the Winter Soldier </span><em><span>actually</span></em><span> was, now was not the time or the place. Another day they'd tackle that beast of a concept, for now, they needed to avenge Nick Fury’s death.</span></p>
<p>
  <span> “Well, let’s find out what the ghost wants,” Steve murmured.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>BORDER OF NEW JERSEY ON I-95. January 10th, 2014. 1633.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve snorted as an easy smile fell on his face at the memory. “Nazi Germany. My bondmate showed me how.” Natasha hummed in response. “And we’re borrowing. Take your feet off the dash.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha gave into the command easily as she stared Steve down. The woman looked as though she wanted to ask a few questions about the memory or maybe about his bondmate. Everyone always had questions about his bondmate, except Natasha, she had never asked before. This was different now, however, they were building a deeper friendship than before. The words twisted around in her mouth until she settled on one question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, I have a question for you, oh, which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don’t answer it though, you’re kind of answering it, you know?” Natasha laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Steve snapped trying to get her to get to the point. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does Tony like the way you kiss?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve glanced at her and scoffed. “That bad huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t say that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it kind of sounds like that’s what you’re saying.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I didn’t. I just wondered if Tony lets you kiss him like that,” Natasha laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve snorted and shook his head. “You’re really concerned about how I kiss Stark?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just wondering how much practice you’ve had?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t need practice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everybody needs practice. Maybe you haven’t kissed any women?” Natasha asked with a sly smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve chuckled and rolled his neck a bit. “I’ve kissed quite a few actually.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“In 1945,” Natasha pointed out.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“1942,” Steve corrected. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>The man knew Natasha was aware that he didn’t have a relationship with Peggy, but sometimes she liked to get his history wrong just to get on his nerves. It was a sore spot and he was pretty sure the only reason Natasha poked at that spot was to toughen him up emotionally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh even longer then,” She laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m ninety-five Natasha, I’m not dead,” Steve snarked back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nobody special that you’re interested in?” Natasha pried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Believe it or not, it’s kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience,” Steve hummed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve tried to ignore the ache of his bond and the pull to find Bucky since their connection had painfully blossomed again. A conversation about his skills and dating really did not help the cause of ignoring the dull ache in his chest. Not to mention that shared life experience might only be sharable with a man who might now be Steve’s enemy, and the blond really couldn’t share that with her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’s alright, you just make something up,” Natasha shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Like you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. The truth is a matter of circumstances, it’s not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I,” Natasha hummed sagaciously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a tough way to live,” Steve murmured sadly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a good way not to die, though,” Natasha responded in kind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, it’s kind of hard to trust someone when you don’t know who that someone really is,” Steve prompted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was the Alpha’s way of apologizing to the woman for taking his frustrations out on her. It was a non-apology because really neither of them wanted an apology or to apologize. This way seemed like the best route to get around their mutual stubbornness around sentimentality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea? Who do you want me to be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about a friend?” Steve asked plainly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The red-head smiled and laughed as she looked out the window instead of at the Alpha. The spy’s phone was held up as they approached their destination. “Well, there’s a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>unbeta;d. </p>
<p>TW: non-consensual gunplay and implied rape. I removed the explicit rape scene because I just felt that it was gratuitous and completely unnecessary. Not that any of this is strictly necessary, but I didn't want to read it/edit it and I didn't want to expose others to really explicitly horrible content. </p>
<p>UPDATED 4/26/2021</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>SHIELD HEADQUARTERS. January 11th, 2014. 0047.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fluorescent lights above burned the Asset’s retinas as he opened grey eyes groggily. The omega didn’t move to look away from them, quietly he hoped that if he burned his eyes the Winter Soldier would not have to continue. To the Soldier, it became clear that his programming was absent again and he would probably have to have his mind wiped sooner rather than later if the handlers sought to use the Asset again. With a small shift of the Weapon’s body, he found straps held him down as they had been a day ago. No medical staff were present in the room, but the smell of bleach let him know they had resterilized the room after the blackout the Soldier had. A shift of his right shoulder let him know that the discomfort in the junction was from an attempt to remove his bond after he had been sedated. A ridiculous attempt on the medic’s part especially because HYDRA knew the bond did not respond to removal drugs. The organization had given up after enough attempts that the Soldier couldn’t even remember keeping track of. The Soldier had been distracted that when the metal scraped against the concrete floor the omega jumped in shock. Heavy boots dragged inside, and the Asset’s body tightened when he scented Rumlow and Karpov in the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soldier, we have a new mission for you. How are you feeling?” Rumlow asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If the Asset didn’t answer correctly and as expected, he would be taken for a mind wipe. The Soldier didn’t want to suffer through that pain, and with the knowledge that his bondmate was out there, he didn’t want his mate to suffer either. Rumlow had asked a human a question, not a weapon, that was the trick in this game. The Soldier was dead, he did not have feelings, so a question like that went against programming. Rumlow and Karpov knew this, it was a test. The Asset was always being tested and he couldn’t afford to give a wrong answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[I do not understand.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess the sleep reset him,” Rumlow chuffed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Status update,]” Karpov questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Functional.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, let’s have him dressed and we’ll debrief him after you get his brain in working order,” Rumlow commanded and left the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Men on the STRIKE team entered the room when Rumlow dismissed himself to assist Karpov in his task to prepare the Soldier for a mission. The Asset was released from his binds with the help of multiple HYDRA agents who originally had guns trained on him. Clearly, after his outburst, the Soldier’s handlers did not trust him to not try to fight and kill his way out of the SHIELD base HYDRA hid under, so the group moved through the base with the Asset looking as if he were a dangerous prisoner. The original mission the Winter Soldier had been woken for was completed successfully, but with all of the HYDRA agents that scurried around faster than normal, something had changed. Normally, the Soldier would have been put on ice to serve at another time in the future. Not that it was not unheard of that the Winter Soldier would be provided another mission after waking, but the Asset had not gone through another mind wipe, which was precarious. In recent years the Winter Soldier had become increasingly unstable which was why electrocution had been introduced. But without that method of additional mental stabilization paired with a bond unassociated with HYDRA that continued to pull the Asset in ways the other bonds had not, the Soldier was aware he was unstable. The Soldier would have to try to focus. It would not be acceptable to have to go through a mind wipe because his bondmate might get hurt from the residual pain. The omega had to complete whatever mission he was assigned and then the Soldier could figure out who his bondmate was after. If he could still freely think after those words were spoken and was able to escape HYDRA’s many tentacles. Once the group arrived at their preparation room Rumlow was present and waiting. The Alpha placed the Soldier’s face mask on and criticized the Asset for losing his goggles with a quiet grumble. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you ready Karpov? Peirce wants him in the field looking for Rogers and Romanoff yesterday,” Rumlow spoke authoritatively.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Karpov grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Longing, rusted, seventeen, daybreak, furnace, nine, benign, homecoming, one, freight car.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tattered red book appeared with the faded star, a gift given to HYDRA by the Russians that had reprogrammed the Winter Soldier after his first few outbursts. Guns around the Asset stayed high and trained at the omega’s head. STRIKE quietly waited for the Winter Soldier to disobey or for the triggers to malfunction and send him immediately into a vicious fighting spree. The Soldier knew the trigger words had about as much success every time as the mind wipe. Sometimes the desired result came out, other times the Asset became aggressive with how disoriented the processes had made his mind. In a matter of seconds, the Soldier stood straighter and stared blankly ahead. Complying was always easier despite the deviations that cracked through his programming without any notice to Rumlow, Karpov, or even the Winter Soldier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Will you comply?]” Karpov asked after a few beats once it was clear the Asset would not be having a mental break.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Da.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Winter Soldier,” Rumlow started. “You will make your way to Secretary Pierce’s private residence. From there Pierce will provide you with mission details about Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Will you comply?]” Karpov repeated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Da.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>The journey was short to Alexander’s home in Arlington. The Soldier entered the property through the forest that touched the back of the Secretary's property. He came upon the sliding back door, gripped hard enough to wrench the doors apart, but smooth enough that the lock broke with a quiet snap. The Asset slipped inside, shut the door quietly behind himself, and sat at the small table next to the kitchen. Against the Winter Soldier’s will, the SIG-Sauer P228</span> <span>attached to his person was placed on the table. Secretary Peirce had created additional programming in his private time spent with the Asset over the many decades they had worked together. The small weapon pointed towards the wall of the faux fireplace in the kitchen. The Soldier leaned back, rested his heavy metal arm on the table with a quiet sigh of relief. His other hand rested on his hip, a position that he learned made people feel more relaxed despite having a metal arm only an inch from a gun. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Footsteps inside the dimly lit home moved in two different directions, one towards the kitchen and the other paced in circles in the entryway. Secretary Pierce entered the kitchen with a relaxed air around him. Completely unaware of the presence of the Asset and grabbed a carton and a glass. When the Alpha turned around his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Soldier and his blood pressure rose. The man was a trained spy, however, and managed to keep his scent quiet to not alert the other person in the house to his smell of fear and intrigue. The omega continued to stare Alexander down, mission-oriented, always forgetful that people did not like to be stared at constantly. But the Soldier wasn’t a person. He was a weapon. Why would he understand or be worried about anyone’s discomfort?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to go, Mr. Pierce! You need anything before I leave?” a thick Guatemalan accent called from the other side of the kitchen wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman was trying to leave without having to see her frightening employer, the Winter Soldier understood the fear probably in an intimate way the woman might never know. The Asset hoped the woman would leave quickly so that his business with the Secretary could be completed and he could leave as soon as possible. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Uh,” The man’s voice wavered. The Soldier found it interesting that Pierce was afraid of the Soldier when the Asset was certainly more afraid of Pierce. But the Soldier was supposed to be in his programming, only to do what he was ordered to do. Pierce shouldn’t fear him if he believed the programming was solid. “It’s fine, Renata, you can go home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, night night!” She called and walked away from the kitchen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight!” Alexander called back with his eyes focused on the Soldier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fear the Asset smelled from the Alpha dissipated when the Secretary seemed to have finally made a decision that the Soldier wouldn’t understand, so he had no choice but to disregard the emotional change. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Want some milk?” Alexander moved to the cabinet to pull out a glass and set it loudly on the counter. Pierce made sure to not keep his back to the Soldier for very long, however, as he poured milk. “The timetable has moved. Our window is limited. Two targets, level six.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>High profile targets, a need-to-know basis for other HYDRA agents. Alexander sat in front of the Asset calmly, shoulders rolled back, most of his milk gone already. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They already cost me, Zola. I want confirmed death in ten hours.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was a short window to kill two high-profile targets. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a warning bell went off about the name Zola and electric pain in his skull burst through trying to bury the memories associated. The Soldier kept his face neutral as a migraine developed from programming fighting against regenerating neurons. Without warning Renata, as Pierce had called the woman, entered the room. The Asset’s grey eyes covered in black paint and grime looked to her as she stared back and spoke with a quiver in her voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, Mr. Pierce, I… I forgot my phone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Renata. I wish you would have knocked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peirce sighed as if it pained him to do what he was about to, the Soldier knew differently. The Secretary grabbed the Winter Soldier’s gun to shoot the woman two times for a clean death. Alexander turned back in his chair and set the Asset’s gun back down, but made sure it pointed at the Soldier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Who are my targets?]” the Asset finally spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t talk to me in that filthy language,” Peirce replied with a growl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who are my targets?” the omega amended and smokey eyes cast down to the gun pointed at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” the Alpha’s growl grew louder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier hadn’t spoken directly with the Alpha in private in many years, he had forgotten their secret protocol. It felt wrong to say when he had a bondmate looking for him. “Who are my targets, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alpha</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The commanding smell that surrounded the Alpha never left, but the man’s posture relaxed again. “Captain America a.k.a. Steven Grant Rogers. With him is SHIELD Agent Natasha Romanoff. You will kill both of them and anyone that aligns with them. HYDRA is out of the shadows now and we will only succeed if those two are brought down. They are symbols to SHIELD and SHIELD will not fall unless they do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How will I find them, Alpha?” the Soldier asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They are on their way back from New Jersey I imagine, but if you must know the easiest way? Follow the pull of your bond and you will find Captain America,” Alexander said with an augered hum. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Captain Rogers my bondmate, Alpha?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very astute. You aren’t as dumb as you pretend to let everyone else think, are you? I suppose we haven’t electrocuted you enough.” Alexander leaned forward and gripped the gun again with a twisted smile. “That won’t be a problem will it Winter Soldier? I know you have killed a few of your bondmates in the past.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Alpha. You’re my only Alpha. That will not be a problem,” the Asset replied easily as Secretary Peirce’s programming fell past his lips without meaning to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t a lie, he would kill the targets because he was the Fist of HYDRA and that was what was required of him. The Asset had planned on going after his bondmate after his mission was solved, but now his bondmate was his mission. While the Asset wasn’t completely compromised, programming still present and doing its work, being close to his bondmate would certainly crack the already falling wall. The Asset was sure they would need to reset him again if they were to get any use out of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, now kneel over here,” Alexander commanded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha shifted his chair back slightly so there was more room between his spread legs. The Soldier was given no room for argument. Any time Pierce spoke to the Winter Soldier, the Secretary used his Alpha voice and the Asset was already programmed to obey HYDRA orders no matter what was done to him. So any command the Alpha gave was twofold in its power over the Winter Soldier. The omega moved in one step from the chair to his knees between the man’s legs, eyes became unfocused as they stared into the Alpha’s chest, waiting for his next command. As Alexander Peirce pulled off the mask Rumlow had fastened tightly the Asset licked his lips, an unnecessary movement for a weapon who didn’t need to ensure their lips weren’t chapped. But something else in the back of his mind told him it was necessary and that it made the next moments easier and less painful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon the cold gun that Pierce had taken from the Soldier was pressed against now moist lips. With a gentle push, the Soldier opened his mouth and let the gun rest inside. The weight was heavy on his tongue and the front sight scraped against the top of his mouth. Thick tongue worked without the Asset’s permission by wetting the barrel in his mouth and bobbing his head slowly as he tried to ignore the smell of a dead body slowly expanding with gas. As the Soldier continued his ministrations on the gun Pierce pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The Alpha placed the call on speakerphone, the cell phone clacked down on the table as Pierce worked his pants undone with his free hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I need a couple of agents in for a clean-up. The cleaning lady interrupted me with the Asset. The body is beginning to smell so, efficiency please,” Pierce barked into the phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir,” it was an agent the Soldier had never heard before, “We are busy trying to secure headquarters and lockdown SHIELD rats.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier’s eyes glanced over to the cock that was pulled out of Pierce’s pants. It wasn’t impressive, not that he should have thoughts or opinions about the Secretary’s penis when he was just a weapon. If this were Rumlow, any physical activities might concern him, but the current sight allowed the Asset to be confident that he would not be physically compromised after Pierce did what he pleased to the omega’s body. Thoughts wandered back to Rumlow because the man was impressive in size and he knew that. But the man also knew if he compromised the Asset’s ability to complete a mission, the Alpha would not be allowed to spend alone time with him, so Rumlow was always careful to prepare the Soldier’s body for use. Whether or not Pierce was the kind of man to prepare the Asset’s body, the Soldier didn’t remember, but given what he was looking at, it wouldn’t be an issue. The gun continued to push insistently in the Soldier’s mouth, refocusing him to his task of cleaning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care. Send someone! I don’t want the blood to soak in the carpet too long.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t the Asset take care of it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Asset is working on another task before he kills Rogers. He is not equipped to do the chores of a level three agent.” Alexander clicked a button on the side of his phone to end the call and pulled the gun out of the Soldier’s mouth at the same time, not being too careful of the Asset’s teeth. “Have you eaten today Soldier?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Alpha. I have not,” the Asset replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier focused his unfocused stare at Pierce’s chest instead of where the Alpha’s hand worked to pull out and stroke his member. Anxiety and tension built in his chest as the reality of what was about to happen to him set in. Moments like these the Winter Soldier wished his programming worked better, that the tension wasn’t an automatic response, and that the man wasn’t so cruel to a person who had no choice in anything he was or did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, you won’t vomit everywhere. Bend over the table.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>SAM WILSON’S HOME. January 11th, 2014. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Steve managed to convince Natasha that the safest place for them in the District of Columbia was Sam Wilson’s home. Though Steve and Sam had barely met two days ago, the Alpha knew the omega was so far removed from SHIELD and the government itself that Sam would be the safest person to seek refuge from. Natasha barely agreed but agreed nevertheless. Neither of them had time to shower or bathe after they narrowly escaped the missile, Rumlow, and the STRIKE team. The pair had slipped to a safe house in Philadelphia for the night after stealing another car. The place had been a small basement studio apartment with the bare necessities. The bed was comfortable, but not big enough for two people. Neither of them decided to bother with showering so they attempted to sleep for a few hours before they returned to the road. Steve let Natasha have the bed in favor of not sleeping at all, they would need to leave in another few hours anyway, so there was no point in trying and failing to sleep. The blond had hid in the bathroom most of the night with the door ajar, just in case he needed to hear any noises of intruders. Steve pulled out his small notebook to try and sketch the man he saw the night Fury died. It hadn’t been long until the feeling in his chest changed from something neutral to overwhelming distress which caused the Alpha to heave the small number of rations he ate into the toilet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha, of course, woke up. She tried to care of Steve, but they ultimately decided to just head towards Sam’s as fast as they could. The Alpha refused to relay to her why he was feeling ill because they both knew Steve wasn’t supposed to be able to get sick. The Alpha was pretty sure she’d call him delusional anyway and then wouldn’t trust him to finish what they started. What Fury had started. The woman tracked down Sam’s home address and found that he lived in a duplex in a small housing development outside of DC. Natasha drove while Steve let his head hang out of the car with the hope that the cold air would ease his flipping stomach. Despite the bond having calmed only an hour after the event, nausea from his bondmate continued to pulse almost the whole drive. The red-head had to stop on the side of the road once or twice so that Steve could hurl outside of the car, not wanting to ruin a stranger’s interior. Eventually, the pair of wanted SHIELD agents made it to the complex and parked the car in front of someone else’s home on the opposite end of where Sam’s place was. They walked through the back alley where garages lined opposite of the homes and back sliding glass doors decorated the outside until the pair came upon Sam’s. Steve listened to make sure Sam was home from his run and then gave the glass a few raps. After waiting with anxious breaths sucked in, feet padded over to the door. Another hesitation and soon the glass door opened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, man,” Sam did his best to not act surprised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve realized they probably looked and smelled a little worse for wear. The Alpha’s clothes smelled like vomit and the pair were both covered in soot with the remnants of explosives. Their scents were probably repulsive and Sam would have been well within his rights to deny them entry solely based on their smells. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry about this,” Steve said honestly. “We need a place to lay low.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone we know is trying to kill us,” Natasha breathed quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve knew her tactics, a quick informative sentence, and Sam’s reaction to it would tell them all they needed to know about whether or not the omega was trustworthy. Sam looked to Natasha and then between the pair quickly before doing a quick sweep behind them. The omega licked his lips and relaxed a bit as he backed up for them to have room to enter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not everyone.” Steve and Natasha slipped in quietly as Sam shut the door, and did another sweep of the back alley before he closed the blinds again. “Bedroom with a bathroom is down that hall to the left. Feel free to take a shower, I’ll make some breakfast.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve and Natasha looked at each other until Steve gestured. “You can go first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You smell like vomit,” Natasha complained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a half bath with an extra toothbrush under the sink if you want to use it while you wait,” Sam tried to remedy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve gave the woman a look until she finally gave in to go take a shower. “Thank you, Sam.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea, just brush your teeth, then we can talk,” Sam teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve hummed and nodded going to the half bath to do just that. Sam was someone he felt he could speak freely with about his bond, the man hadn’t called him crazy, he had just been surprised. And when the bond first revealed itself again, they had both been shocked, but then again Steve was alive, why couldn’t Bucky be? Sam had pointed this out and if Steve thought about it, it wasn’t so crazy. Less crazy considering HYDRA hadn’t been defeated when Steve tried to kill himself, and Bucky had been their experiment before. Once the Alpha pulled out of his reverie he wiped his mouth off and went back out to the kitchen. Steve leaned against the counter to watch Sam cook. It was domestic, nice, and something Steve would probably never have.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, are you sick?” Sam asked and glanced over his shoulder to Steve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh… No, I think something happened to… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Him</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Steve mumbled and glanced down to his feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Sam swallowed loudly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both knew what that meant. If his bondmate was nauseated to the point it affected Steve, the Alpha had seen it enough with omegas he had worked with on the streets of Brooklyn back in the day. Omegas had to make money somehow even if they were bonded. Not all bonded omegas were middle class or well taken care of financially. Many lived in poverty like Steve, especially if they were male omegas. Which meant they still had to work the streets to try and make enough money for rent, and the omega’s had to starve themselves so they wouldn’t throw up on clients. The Alpha felt lucky he hadn’t had that issue, but if the Winter Soldier was his bond mate. That meant that someone laid their hands on his omega. A list of every horrible deed HYDRA committed grew longer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I also think he’s the one who killed the Director of SHIELD,” Steve relayed and glanced at Sam. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam’s eyes widened and turned his body to Steve focusing less on the eggs. “So, is </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> ‘the everyone’ trying to kill you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve bobbed his head back and forth. “He’s part of 'the everyone'. Natasha doesn’t know that I think he’s my bondmate. She doesn’t even know I feel him in the bond now,” Steve relayed quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then it’s between you and me. What are you going to do about him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha sucked on his top lip and shrugged. “I think, at this point, I need to worry about SHIELD first. The world first, then Bucky later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam gave a grunt in response going back to the food thoughtfully. Steve wasn’t sure there was anything else to even say. Because the Alpha still was not one hundred percent sure if the Winter Soldier was his mate, especially because Steve wasn’t even sure if everything he felt was real. After being gaslighted by SHIELD, Tony, Banner, and Natasha about the existence of the bond's presence, Steve couldn’t be sure he wasn't just hopeful his bondmate was alive. Maybe Steve didn’t want to date so badly to the point he made himself think he could feel that Bucky was alive and the Winter Soldier was actually just another juiced-up HYDRA agent with a bionic arm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve?” Natasha called. Steve looked up to her with concerned eyes, brows furrowed tightly as he was still in thought. “Shower’s free.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll just wipe myself off a bit. I don’t think we have time for both of us to take a shower,” Steve sighed as he walked towards her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You smell Steve. And not just like vomit.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Well, maybe I stink enough that HYDRA agents will just leave me alone.”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>Sam barked a laugh as Steve slipped into the bedroom. Steve really didn’t want to wipe his scent off if he encountered the Winter Soldier again. Because if the Winter Soldier was actually Bucky and Steve could get the man to smell him, the Alpha might be able to get through to his omega. Steve grabbed a small towel, wet it, and scrubbed soap on the cloth to take a sink bath. Or at least clean off his face and parts of his chest that had the remnants of stomach acid. The Alpha looked into the mirror when he noticed the distressed look on Natasha’s face. Since Fury’s death, she constantly looked scared and betrayed. The Alpha left the bathroom and sat down opposite her as he wiped off his cheek. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Steve breathed out, “You okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha sucked in hard and sharp as she looked at Steve. “When I first joined SHIELD, I thought I was going straight. But… I guess I just traded in the SVR for HYDRA.” The red-head looked away and frowned more. “I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but I guess I can’t tell the difference anymore.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve watched her intently, he cared for her as much as she cared for him that much was clear after the past 24 hours. It ached to know she felt so low of herself and Steve had the same pitiful feeling when he did assignments for SHIELD. Knowing what SHIELD was thanks to his own sleuthing work, he couldn’t imagine being in Natasha’s shoes and genuinely believing you’re doing good work. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a chance you might be in the wrong business,” Steve teased, keeping his face straight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman’s eyes widened and her chuckle wobbled. “I owe you,” She said after a few moments of searching the Alpha’s eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve scoffed and shook his head. “It’s okay.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha huffed and frowned. “If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me. Would you trust me to do it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would now,” Steve said with every fiber of his being agreeing. “And I’m always honest.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Not for nothing, Bucky was alive. “Well,” Steve groaned as he sat up straighter. “I guess I just like to know who I’m fighting.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Sam came in and leaned on the wall with his body puffed up a bit as if he were trying to display himself for two very physically impressive people in the room. It was a very omega action and very natural, rather than the precise movements others in SHIELD took to fool someone. Steve smiled at the sight internally, glad he met Sam. A good man who was just a normal guy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I made breakfast. If you guys eat the sort of thing,” the man teased and walked out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve smiled a soft laugh spilling out, “You hungry?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Starving,” Natasha smiled back. “You think you can eat again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I better try,” Steve hummed and let Natasha lead the way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha sat at the small dining table that faced the kitchen Sam plated food in. Natasha leaned herself against the island bar counter and smiled over at the relaxed man flirtatiously. When Sam caught her mirthy gaze he took no pause in looking her up and down as if trying to determine his chances with the spy. The omega stopped his examination as if he knew a command was about to come from Natasha. The red-head continued to examine Sam a little longer until she finally gave in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So has Steve lost any chance of you asking him out?” She asked and leaned on her fist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam sputtered and looked to Steve who had his red face hiding in his hand. “Me? Ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s a coward and won’t ask anyone out,” Natasha clarified, “I think he </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>likes you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam held his hands up and turned his back to the woman before she could see the rose color that spread across his mahogany cheeks. “This seems like somethin’ between you and Steve and I ain’t about to get myself in any trouble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha laughed for a good minute before falling into a soft hum. The woman became thoughtful and ready to change the subject and spare both men in the room. “So, the question is… Who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pierce,” Steve replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha paced towards Steve to hear the information he knew that he hadn’t told her yet. “Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he’s not working alone, Zola’s algorithm was on the Lemurian Star.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So was Jasper Sitwell,” Natasha pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve looked up at the Black Widow, their eyes locked prepared with a plan already. “So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam walked over at that point with an open file in hand. “The answer is: you don’t.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s this?” Steve asked looking up at Sam.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call it a resume.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha picked up the file, Steve moved up with it so they could both gaze at the picture of Sam and who Steve assumed was his dead bondmate Riley. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandil mission, that was you,” Natasha looked to Steve. “You didn’t say he was a pararescue.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that Riley?” Steve asked instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked at the pale-skinned man next to Sam, burnt by the heavy sun above them. The pair were decked out in air force regulation tactical gear, goggles in their hands, and Sam looking to Riley with a serious face. Riley looked like he was a bit goofier given that he was the only person in the photo smiling. That made a lot of sense for Sam, the way the man would jump between serious and joking within a second. It reminded him of himself and Bucky being together. Steve was always the more serious one, he had to be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea,” Sam replied finally with a quiet voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I heard they couldn’t bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use, a stealth chute?” Natasha continued straight to business. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. These,” Sam said. The man picked up the next picture in the file, a schematic of the method he and Riley used to fly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you said you were a pilot?” Steve asked, shocked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony’s Iron Man suit had been an adjustment, but actual wings that allowed Sam to do stealth missions for the air force. Steve would have an entirely new adjustment period.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never said pilot,” Sam chuckled quietly, tightening his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t ask you to do this Sam. You got out for a good reason.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where can we get our hands on one of these things?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The last one is at Fort Meade, behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve looked to Natasha who thought for a moment and gave a shrug and a nod. Which meant it wouldn't be any effort on her part to get into the fort and steal the equipment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shouldn’t be a problem.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments and kudos I love you</p>
<p>my tumblr is sweetassme</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Reunited</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Unbetad</p>
<p>UPDATED 4/26/2021</p>
<p>TW: Rumlow is gross and gun violence because the Winter Soldier does and the Winter Soldier does</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. January 11th, 2014. 1114.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier had spent too long at Captain Roger’s home residence. The curiosity of who the Asset was going to kill got the best of him because he knew the Alpha was his bondmate. After the Soldier turned over almost everything in the man’s home, he found a very old record, one that he thought he recognized and placed it in the Target: Steve Rogers’s record player. The Soldier stood at attention, unable to scent the home thanks to the mask he wore as he listened to the soft music that brought in a memory of large hands with a small body. The Weapon moved away violently from the record player and shook the memory from his head. If any permeated through he wouldn’t be able to focus on his mission. The Asset removed his mask to breathe better through the panic and took in the heavy scent in the home. Instead of breathing exercises to distract himself from the flood of new memories, his Alpha’s strong scent did its work on his body. The omega contemplated the Target’s strong scent because it was either an indicator the Alpha spent too much time at home or his hormones were terrible at regulation and overproduced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The omega wasn’t supposed to remove his mask, he remembered too late. Pierce had told him that the Target’s scent would distract him from his mission. What he didn’t expect was for heat to pool in his lower stomach with sudden cramps accompanying. A feeling he never remembered experiencing in HYDRA’s hand. Once dawn broke through the windows of the apartment he hid himself in, the Soldier left to scout the roof, mask securely in place. The Soldier listened for any sound that the Target might enter his home and scoured the streets below for familiar faces. The sun rose higher and his eerily silent comm released a burst of static when it was activated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rumlow here. Position location.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Target Roger’s home.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“En route for transpo. Targets found leaving Fort Meade. Traveling down Baltimore-Washington Parkway. We will intercept on I-495. Will you comply?” Rumlow quickly explained through the comm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[I will comply.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“ETA three minutes. Be down here for pick up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Roger.]”</span>
</p>
<p><span>The Soldier jumped down to the fire escape and began to leap down each staircase, there was no time to safely take it step by step. By the time the Asset managed to get to the front of the building a sleek black car was stalled waiting for him. The Soldier slipped into the front passenger seat and glanced to see who was in the vehicle. Rumlow drove, he’d only be involved in transport for the Soldier, the Alpha would not be directly involved in a mission for fear of getting run over by the assassin. In front was one vehicle and behind two more, probably STRIKE team that would ensure the Soldier had all the weapons and back up that he would need. They were much better at staying out of his way than Rumlow.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“I will get behind them and then I have my own assignments to take care of,” Rumlow told the Soldier as he weaved through freeway traffic. “If you fail to kill them in the next hour you will be severely punished.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“[Order only comes through pain.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rumlow stared ahead but the Soldier noticed a slight smirk that graced the man’s face. “Aw, you remembered. Lucky me. Look ahead, our agent, Sitwell, is inside that car, he betrayed us by providing your targets’ confidential information. Kill him. Another person, Sam Wilson, can die with Captain America and the Black Widow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier nodded in confirmation as his mind easily slipped into the fog of work. The Winter Soldier rolled down the car window. slipped out to the hood, and balanced himself on the front of the car. In mere seconds the Winter Soldier leaped off onto the roof of the navy blue sedan the Targets’ were in. The Asset punched the back seat passenger window and pulled Sitwell out of the car to throw him onto the other side of the highway. The Soldier didn’t need to make sure the man had died, it was obvious by the crash of other cars in the area. The brunet managed to quickly spot Target Romanova shift in the back seat and pulled himself onto the roof again. The Winter Soldier pulled out his SIG-Sauer P228 and quickly shot into the car towards the back seat where the spy had been. The Asset, instead of a successful kill, heard movement from the back seat up to the front seat where his bondmate sat-No. Where Target Rogers sat and angled his shots to now get both Targets’ Rogers and Romanova.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly the Winter Soldier was thrown off of the vehicle and into traffic where cars desperately tried to avoid his body. As the omega landed harshly on his back the Asset forcibly flipped himself overusing the Weapon to slow his speed down, his toes trying to do the same. The Winter Soldier kept his body in a ready position and once the road underneath his left hand degraded enough for him to stop he gave himself time to stand and breathe. Heat continued to pool in the omega’s lower abdomen. Normally, there would not be time for the Asset to catch his breath, especially when Target Romanova pulled a gun on him, but the Soldier was also aware of the military-grade truck that barreled down the road and crashed into Target Wilson’s vehicle. As the navy blue sedan was forcibly pushed towards the Soldier, he flipped up and reached down to grab the top of the car with his metal hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier’s mind was clear and focused on the mission. The heat in his body and the fear from the other side of the bond was easy to ignore as adrenaline pumped through the Asset. The omega's conditioning and programming were reinforced through action and physical reaction. There would not be a moment in his life that the Winter Soldier’s body would not know what to do. The Soldier refocused again to the top of the black sedan that had too many dents from his too dense body. However, the dents allowed the omega the grip he needed to get into a kneeling position again. Metal fist slammed into the windshield and tore out the steering wheel so Target Wilson could no longer control the car. Just as he managed to pull his fist out, Target Romanov shot her gloc. Luckily the STRIKE team still pushed the sedan behind him so he leapt from the navy car to the moss green military truck to better avoid the Black Widow’s bullets. The Asset leaned back on the front of the truck, hand gripped above the windshield to watch the sedan crash, with the hope all three targets died.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier was not so lucky. Target Rogers had somehow managed to gather Target Romanova and Target Wilson into his arms, broke the passenger door with his shield, and avoided the part of the crash that would have ensured their deaths. No wonder the Asset was woken up after being decommissioned. There was something off about Target Rogers and the Asset was probably the only Weapon suited to destroy him. Target Wilson had fallen out of Target Roger’s embrace and rolled on the road, arms up to protect his head. The traffic behind their crash all quickly stopped to avoid running over them. So much for contingency two. The truck the omega stood upon pulled over to the side ahead of the three targets to allow the Winter Soldier to continue his mission. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Asset jumped off of the truck and moved towards the Targets, his metal arm had taken some damage in his efforts and left his body heaving to one side to better manage the weight. Another truck pulled off to the other side of the road with a HYDRA agent that stepped out to hand the Soldier a Colt M4A1 with a grenade launcher attachment preloaded and ready to shoot. The Winter Soldier aimed the Colt at Target Rogers and Target Romanova, cataloging the pair’s movements as Target Rogers pushed Romanova away. The grenade left the barrel of the launcher which was aimed at the suddenly familiar red, white, and blue shield. Target Roger’s shield took all of the force of the explosive and was thrown off of the highway. The Soldier heard car accidents below. Maybe Captain America did get to die in a car accident today. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Behind the Winter Soldier were five men with suppressing fire to weed out Target Romanova and Target Wilson. The pair moved like scurrying rats between cars until the Soldier spotted the familiar red hair and launched another grenade in her direction. Target Romanova flung herself onto the other side of the highway where traffic continued to avoid the explosion. The STRIKE men never ceased their fire, they just redirected it onto the other side of the road where non-targets ran with fright. Civilian casualties were not something that they had been told to avoid. HYDRA would win and any civilians that were hurt or died in the process of HYDRA’s authority would be thankful for it in the future. Another grenade left the Colt’s attachment as Target Romanova hid behind a small corvette, this time she was thrown off of the highway completely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier looked over the other side where Target Rogers had been thrown and saw his shield in the street. Colt raised up to where the target might be hiding in the bus. Bullets flew past the Winter Soldier’s head and caught a few strands of hair before the Asset tossed himself backward to avoid the Black Widow’s fire. The Soldier quickly scrambled to press against the wall of the highway breathing out heavily at the exertion of dodging. As he rested he realized his goggles had been cracked from a bullet that grazed them so he pulled them off. They weren’t necessary, he wouldn’t need GPS to locate his targets, they were within the vicinity. The Asset jumped up again and began to shoot aimlessly where Target Romanova had been, angry that he had been hit, no one had ever been close to killing the Winter Soldier before. More bullets were fired at the Asset from behind an upturned vehicle that he hadn’t focused on. The omega began to shoot in her direction ducking as she shot back only to bounce up again and shoot at her as she ran. Memories continued to burst forward that the Asset could not afford to pay attention to. A red-headed girl fought him hand-to-hand combat until she brought him down multiple times successfully. Or a bullet straight through a red-haired woman to kill a man behind her. The Winter Soldier had encountered Target Romanova too many times, she had seen his face before, there was no reality that the Asset could allow for her to escape now. She would need to die or else his anonymity would be compromised and useless for HYDRA. The Soldier’s grey eyes darted to the men that aimed their guns at Target Romanova; he growled lowly and breathed out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[She’s mine. I’ll take care of her. Find him,]” Russian poured out like honey.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Asset threw himself over the edge of the highway and landed heavy on the destroyed car down below, allowing it to take the majority of the impact of his weight. The Soldier moved through the streets following her trail easily as she weaved and darted between traffic and cars. A police car turned down the street he walked upon and launched a grenade at it before they could even arrive onto the scene and cause more gunfire. Target Romanova was the Asset’s to kill, he had helped create her, she was his to destroy and no one would take that kill from him. The Winter Soldier’s Alpha would be proud of how compliant the programming had made him and how easy it was for him to want to kill someone he knew. The Soldier added another grenade to the Colt attachment as he pushed down the weighty emotion that spilled through the bond and the heat that spread through his body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier came upon a van and quietly fell into a stop to hear Target Romanova’s voice say, “I make an LZ, twenty-three hundred block of Virginia Avenue. Rendezvous two minutes. Taking fire above and below the expressway. Civilians threatened. Repeat, civilians threatened.” The Soldier dropped to a knee, reached behind his back to pull out a small explosive ball HYDRA designed. The Asset rolled it under the van, listening to it click against the concrete lip of the sidewalk on the other side of a blue sedan. The message repeated until the explosion. The Soldier sat up with a squint at the explosion in hopes that he might see any trace of Target Romanova’s death only to be surprised from behind because he had been distracted. The woman kicked the Colt out of his hands, wrapped herself around his back, and pulled out a wire to choke him. The Soldier managed to get his right hand between his face and the teather, push her back against a car and then throw her across another one. Memories of how Target Romanova fought made it easy to determine her next moves without much effort. The memories no matter how disruptive were useful. The Asset picked up his gun again aimed at her body on the ground only for her to throw an EMP at his metal arm and disable it. The woman was able to sprint away while the Winter Soldier ripped the EMP off, ignoring the electrical pain in his flesh hand as he did so. With a whip of the Weapon around to make sure the arm recalibrated he chased after the Black Widow. Target Romanova’s scared voice bounced off the buildings and allowed the Winter Soldier to aim perfectly with the only couple shots required to bring her down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With his Colt cocked and feet planted on top of a car with ease, the Asset had the spy in sight ready to kill her with a single headshot. Heavy footsteps ran up to him on his left, a yell, and the Soldier punched the red, white, and blue shield with force, absorbing the vibrations. Target Rogers was disturbed by the sound which allowed the Soldier enough time to grab the shield, pull the man forward and throw him back with a kick to the Target’s chest. Target Rogers was denser than expected and the Asset fell back on the hood of the car. A few seconds of recovery and he was back up, bullets fired out of his Colt only for the shield to throw them away, it did not matter the Colt was out of bullets anyway and the Soldier felt time was about to run out. There were only thirty minutes left to complete the mission his Alpha had given him and there was no time to manage the heat and wetness of his body. The Winter Soldier tossed the gun aside to his left, rolled off the car to the right, and pulled the Skorpion off of his back immediately unloading bullets at Target Rogers. As Target Rogers moved behind a sedan the Asset gave himself a second to reload only to have the Target kick the gun out of his right hand. The Soldier pulled out a SIG-Sauer that rested on his right hip and continued the rain of fire on his bondmate-no-Target Rogers. Unfortunately, Target Rogers managed to get on his heavier side and landed a punch to his face, but the Soldier was still fast enough to catch the shield that was about to hit. Then it was hand to hand to shield combat. The Target caught a couple of the Asset’s punches until he didn’t and the Soldier was able to grab the shield and flip Captain America. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With the shield in Winter Soldier’s right-hand distant memories informed the Asset of Target Roger’s favored sides and combat moves, he felt better equipped to take the other down. Or at least wear Roger’s down until the man passed out from overexertion. The Soldier continued his forceful fists using the man’s hand-to-hand combat weaknesses against him. The Asset pushed the Target back again and Captain America flipped and slowed himself down in the same move the Soldier had done on the highway. Clearly, Target Rogers was able to learn and mimic opponents as well. The Soldier threw the shield at the Target as the Target ran at a sprint towards him. A millisecond slower and Target Roger’s arm would have been torn off by the force the Soldier threw the shield. Target Rogers was weaponless, but the Soldier still had his favorite on him. The Weapon pulled out a knife from his left hip and began to flip it around, body language open and ready for the running Target. Hand-to-hand combat again, this time Target Rogers had also studied the Soldier and neither could land a blow on each other. The Soldier flipped his knife from hand to hand each time Target Rogers thought he managed to knock it out. It was quick, the Asset thought he had the upper hand as he gained ground. But the Target proved to be faster than the enhanced Winter Soldier and landed a punch that knocked him back and a kick that threw him into a car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anger, frustration, and fear flowed through the Asset as the Target became relentless. Blow after blow. When the Soldier thought he had gained ground against Rogers, the Target managed to wrap around the metal arm, use the pain at the top of his shoulder to flip, and throw the Asset to the ground. However, Target Rogers thought he had the upper hand, but the Soldier managed to get to his feet in a matter of breaths and wrapped the Weapon around Target Rogers’s throat. With a squeeze Target Rogers was neutralized for a few moments. The man struggled of course as he gripped the metal with force normal humans did not possess, and it hurt more than it should have, so the Soldier tossed the man over to the other side of an SUV. The Winter Soldier jumped up onto the hood of the car and jumped down, metal arm thrown down in a fist where the Target’s face should have been. Concrete cracked under the force of the punch and the Asset looked up to Target Rogers. The frustration and fear grew louder where the bond connection was and the Asset channeled the frustration to hit the Target’s side multiple times with his metal arm. Once Steve Rogers was knocked into another car he took that free time to pull out a second knife from his hip. A kick to Rogers to make sure he was up against a hard surface as the Soldier thrust his arm down, knife aimed at Captain America’s face. The whirring of his metal arm could be heard as he pushed past the strength of his target, into the metal of the truck and the pair dragged the knife through the metal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Target Rogers slipped through his left side which was locked onto the knife in the truck. Smart. Rogers grabbed him from behind and flipped them so that the Soldier would crack his head into the ground. The Weapon managed to protect the Winter Soldier’s head and the pair quickly flipped away from each other. As the Asset struggled to stand up, his own energy-depleting as the heat in his lower stomach expanded and the frustration in the bond grew, Target Rogers managed to grab his shield again. They were back to hand to hand to shield combat with the added joy of the Soldier’s knife thrown in. One miscalculated move and the shield was lodged in the Asset’s weapon. Pain burst through his body compounding upon the distractions his mind and body had. Shield hit the face, the Target grabbed the Asset’s jaw where the mask was in place and flipped him over the Target’s shoulder. The force of the movement pulled the mask off at the same time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier stumbled up to his feet with his back to Target Rogers. The Asset’s brain was foggy from pain in his arm and lower torso. From the emotional turmoil that bled through the bond and now from the intense smell that radiated off of his bondmate. God, the Target smelled good and it made his lower abdomen crawl more. The Winter Soldier wanted the man in ways the Asset did not understand. Slowly the Asset turned around to assess Target Rogers and their next moves. Steve Rogers’s piercing blue eyes bore into the Winter Soldier’s intensely and moved from a fighting stance to his full height. The man’s brows furrowed as if he were upset at the sight of the Winter Soldier in a completely different way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bucky?” Target Rogers breathed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Asset’s true Alpha spoke directly to him, the omega faced Target Rogers and replied, “Who the hell is Bucky?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier’s hand was on another gun, but with his curiosity and the pull of the bond was more important than killing his target right this second. The Asset would have another chance, he knew, as long as he could just get the pure scent of his Alpha first. The omega stalked forward unaware of his intimidating presence or blank face that probably looked as though the Winter Soldier wanted an up close and personal kill. Target Wilson flew in with actual wings and knocked the Asset down with a shout. The Soldier took the blow easily, rolling and jumping up again. Memories of the name Bucky flowed through his mind, the same voice saying it in so many ways. Who was Bucky? Why did it matter to his Alpha? The omega stared Steve-Target Rogers down again, eyes darted around to assess the dangers around them as he tried to move towards the man again confusion and fury guiding the Asset. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha began to run towards the omega, clearly unaware that Target Romanova had grabbed his Colt with the grenade launcher attachment and fired it as the Alpha met the omega. The Asset was surprised to have Target Rogers launch himself at the Asset to knock him out of the way of the explosive when the Asset did not need the assistance. Target Rogers hovered above the Winter Soldier, the man’s nose breathed in the omega’s scent and the smell of heat pheromones that spilled out. The Asset tilted his head to attempt to expose where his bonding mark was in submission and breathed his true Alpha in who seemed to be entering rut. None of his other bonds had managed to pull a heat out of the Soldier and before the Asset could properly assess the situation they were tearing at each other’s clothes as the fire and smoke dissipated. Now pinned to the street, the Alpha on top of the Winter Soldier nosed along the omega’s neck. As Steve’s scent filled the Asset’s nose he tilted his head back further in submission and exposed a small part of his bond mark. Steve growled lowly, shield tossed aside and hands worked off every intricate piece of tactical gear. The Asset took in the scent of Steve more and a small moan involuntarily left his mouth. They were finally together and their heat and rut scents mingled in a way that delighted the omega. They smelled so good, and the Soldier wanted to give in so bad. The Winter Soldier never wanted, was not supposed to want. The Weapon tugged at Steve’s clothes until he managed to tear his shirts off. The Alpha gasped at the sudden exposure and avenged his clothing by tearing off the kevlar shirt that hid the omega’s bare chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Primal instincts had taken over the pair. After sixty-nine years apart their soul bond and hormones had taken over their rational minds. The Alpha flipped the Soldier over to his hands and knees so that the omega presented for him in a fluid movement. Steve tugged at his own pants as the Soldier shoved his black ones down after he removed all tactical gear around his hip. The Alpha only provided a few seconds of prep to the slick hole before he was asking permission quietly and the Soldier could only push back and whine out, with the hope the Alpha got the message. In an achingly long moment the omega’s foggy eyes gazed over his shoulder to watch the Alpha slick up his cock from the mess that gushed out of the Soldier. Soon the blond man pushed into the Winter Soldier. Both found relief as soon as the man filled the omega properly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The omega jerked as the comm in his ear staticed in with a voice. “Leave the scene Winter Soldier. New orders. I am taking the Targets in alive.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” the Soldier moaned out as Steve’s cock began thrusting into his body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What was that Soldier?” Rumlow growled in his ear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Asset struggled to remove the comms from his ears, but eventually managed well enough to toss the devices away. The Alpha above him pounded inside of him as ruthlessly as he had been in battle. The omega met his thrusts with his hips, tightening around the cock every time it hit his sweet spot. The Asset allowed himself to feel and experience the pleasure of his bondmate. Sure the other bonds had been fine, the sex was a nice reward, but this wasn’t a reward. This was their bond being reignited and scratches deep inside being inched after going untouched for longer than the Asset knew. Around he could hear sirens as the Alpha lapped at his sweaty back. There were yells and gasps from the other two Targets, which was understandable. They were mating in the middle of a street. The Asset had previously gone lax under the Alpha, allowing himself to bask in the pleasures the man was dragged out of him. But at the realization that HYDRA was on their way to collect the Targets, his Alpha, and would stumble upon their copulating the Soldier had to move. The Asset refocused his eyes and his mind. The Winter Soldier’s gaze landed upon Natalia Romanova who kept looking away and back at them. Samuel Wilson, clearly an omega, was fixated on the sight of the bonding pair giving into their basic instincts. The Soldier reached back and gripped Steve’s arm, squeezing hard enough to get the Alpha to pay attention to the omega under him. They needed to leave. They needed to extract themselves from the scene quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Target Rogers looked down at the Soldier’s face, cerulean eyes dilated but blinking to try and push through the haze of rut. Captain America looked around, continuing to thrust his hips despite the realization of the danger they were in. Though danger did not seem to matter much as they both tumbled over the edge of pleasure. The Alpha had filled the omega fully with his seed and could feel a knot grow. It took all the HYDRA programmed strength and mental fortitude the Asset had to not keep the man inside of him. As the Asset went against all basic instincts, Steve pulled out and fell back, more clear-headed than before their sudden reunion. The Winter Soldier fixed his own pants and stared at his Alpha who looked like he was displeased with the omega. Had the Soldier not been good enough for his Alpha? He never had complaints before. Steve pulled his pants back on as he stood and looked around for an exit. The Asset slowly stood, ignoring the ache in his hips from Steve’s strong grip, and ignored the semen that spilled out of him with slick. The Soldier pulled a gun from a harness tossed on the ground. Right as vehicles pulled up the Asset had his gun drawn on Target Rogers. It was a ploy. The Asset would hope that he would be placed in the truck with Captain America’s team and then help them escape. The Soldier could not escape, if he did HYDRA would never stop chasing him or Captain Rogers. Because the STRIKE team had arrived so quickly Natalia and Wilson had no chance to stop him from aiming his gun at his bondmate. Steve looked confused, no surprise, the Asset had no chance to explain his plan before Rumlow left an SUV with a gun drawn on everyone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asset, I thought I told you to leave,” Rumlow growled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[Did not have the chance,]” the Soldier replied and glanced at his state of dress then Steve’s before he spared a glance to his handler. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see you took your mask off. How long have you been in heat for?” Rumlow took a second to smell the air as a cruel smile contorted his face. “Well, I’m glad you could reunite at least long enough for him to cum inside of you Asset.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve growled, the blond clearly tried to fight against instincts but failed miserably. “You can’t have him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soldier, injury report?” Rumlow asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha was testing the Winter Soldier’s programming, the Asset knew that much, but because programming had failed completely this time, the Soldier didn’t know the proper response that would save himself and his Alpha. So the Soldier remained silent, lips tight and flat as he tried to understand what he was actually doing. As fragments of memories entered the Asset’s brain and the longer he was near Captain America’s scent, Rumlow would get angrier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you like getting your dick wet after seventy years? He’s good, right? My favorite omega I’ve had the opportunity of fucking, perfectly tight and gets wet right when you fill him up,” Rumlow growled at Steve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to kill you,” Steve growled, surprising all agents around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Injury report, Asset.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier twitched at the command, programming pushed past the confusion that clouded his mind. “[Heavy bruising on my hips. The Weapon has been compromised at the bicep and deltoid junction.]”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rumlow grunted, “Asset, you stay with Captain America since you seem to be able to control him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[He will follow me,]” the Soldier confirmed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natalia Romanova stared at him with disgust. It did not matter what she thought, if she really believed everything he said then she was not the spy she thought she was. Maybe Natalila was compromised by her relationship with his Alpha. Despite the Red Room that supposedly had destroyed any trace of her designation, she was still an omega, and they were usually drawn to any Alpha willing to show them respect and affections. As the Asset assessed the people around him, Rumlow made sure to knock Steve to his knees and cuff him with those electromagnetic cuffs they used on the Winter Soldier. When Rumlow commanded guns down the Soldier looked up and listened and placed his gun into his pocket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have your orders, Asset. Will you comply?” Rumlow asked as he pulled Steve up to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“[I will comply,]” the Asset replied and followed behind the pair to pile into the truck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wilson and Romanova were already placed on the bench in front of them. The Soldier assessed the door and then the two STRIKE agents that sat with their back against the wall. One’s heart rate was slightly elevated while the other’s was decreased to a lower rate. That was not normal for a STRIKE or HYDRA agent. Both were filled with drugged out, hyped up, and frightened of super-soldiers Alphas’, whoever was in the other STRIKE uniform was not STRIKE. There might be hope yet to save his Alpha from the hands of HYDRA. The Winter Soldier was not concerned for his own safety. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>New Mission: Ensure Alpha Steve Rogers stays out of the hands of HYDRA, alter other missions to fit parameters of this mission. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments questions, kudos</p>
<p>my tumblr is sweetassme</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chaos only comes through Pleasure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>unbeta'd</p><p>UPDATED 4/26/2021</p><p>more sex &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So much for ‘public displays of affection make people 'uncomfortable',” Natalia grunted out with a sly smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset looked to her shoulder that spilled blood from the bullet he hit her with. The Winter Soldier would have to pay for hurting one of his Alpha’s teammates, but that would come later. Steve glanced to the omega flushed before he glanced down at his shoes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t even know who he is,” Steve sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is this even possible? It was like seventy years ago that he supposedly died, right?” Wilson asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zola,” the Alpha grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Soldier felt his body involuntarily tighten at the name. This was the second time he heard Zola’s name just in one day. Each time it brought pain and fear to the forefront of his mind. The Winter Soldier’s metal hand gripped the bench and began to warp the mental out of shape. Memories were too painful to relive and far too confusing for him to confront or unravel during a hectic mission with new parameters. The Asset tried to pay attention to the world outside of his mind, the feel of Steve’s warm and sticky skin against his own. The smell of his Alpha in rut and the smell of himself in heat covered in semen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bucky’s whole unit was captured in ‘43. Zola experimented on him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset remembered the experiments and was beginning to remember the moments before HYDRA got him to submit. Zola. It was clear now. Zola was the man that created the weapon he was. Maybe the Asset </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bucky as his Alpha had claimed. The Winter Soldier had a hard time following the conversation and relating it to memories that burst through programming. The ache of his heat grew again, without his Alpha’s knot it was like he had been denied any actual relief. The Asset could not reach out and touch his Alpha no matter how visibly hard either of them were. The smell of Steve’s rut invaded him and forced his body to stay at a high level of need that the Asset was not used to and felt extremely uncomfortable with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall,” Steve continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier groaned softly and slammed his head back against the metal of the van with more electric shocks in his mind with the force of memories. Everyone in the van jumped at the action but otherwise ignored the unstable super-soldier. An arm torn off by a sheer face of a mountain was not a memory he had expected to experience. Honestly, the Asset had been under the impression that HYDRA had removed his arm manually. They had told the Winter Soldier he failed a mission by running away only one time and the Russian faction of HYDRA found him and punished him with a limb removal. The implanted memory contradicted what he knew and what Steve retold the others. What had really happened had occurred during a mission to take down Johann Schmidt. The original head of HYDRA. If the Soldier had already been HYDRA why would he have tried to destroy HYDRA? They had electrocuted him for that question in the past. The Soldier tried to keep himself quiet in case both helmeted agents were STRIKE agents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They must have found him, and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of that’s your fault, Steve,” Natalia interrupted, her green eyes darted between the bonded pair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red-head always hated pity parties despite history proving that she threw the best ones herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky,” Steve admitted quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset could not resist the urge to slip his hand across Steve’s thigh and gently squeezed the inside, despite not fully understanding why the action was necessary. The Winter Soldier was there next to Steve, whether or not he was Bucky would be something to figure out later, but Steve had his bondmate with him and that should be enough. The Alpha dropped his head back against the metal of the truck wall, eyes shut as he hissed in pleasure from the firm grip. Maybe continuing to move his hand on the Alpha’s thigh was not the best course of action, but now that the Asset had started he couldn’t stop. The omega continued his ministrations as he watched Sam Wilson assess Natalia’s shoulder when blood continued to spill thickly from the bullet wound. The man looked to the STRIKE agents as if they would help. Which determined Wilson was definitely completely separated from HYDRA and SHIELD because it was clear he did not know their protocols.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to get a doctor here. If we don’t apply pressure on that wound she’s gonna bleed out here in the tru-,” Sam started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The suspicious STRIKE member interrupted Sam by whipping out their stun baton and activated the electrical current. Sam and the Asset flinched at the sight. Steve had been too occupied by the Asset’s wandering hand and Natalia went in and out of consciousness to pay the stun baton any mind or care. There was a pause in the movement when suddenly the stun baton was flipped around, caught in the opposite direction, and jabbed into the other STRIKE member. While the guard was distracted by the electric current the non-STRIKE agent kicked him in the head to knock him out. The guard had slumped and pissed himself as a reaction to the electricity, but wore so much gear that the Asset and Steve were probably the only ones that noticed he had. The non-STRIKE guard pulled off their helmet to reveal an Alpha woman the Asset had never seen before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that thing was squeezing my brain,” She groaned. The woman looked over Sam Wilson and then the Winter Soldier with wide eyes. “Who’re these guys?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve had begun to pay attention when the woman attacked the other guard and tried his best to ignore the hand on his thigh. The Asset knew his mind was increasingly becoming unstable the further he deviated from his mission and the only thing that seemed to hold him together was the smell and feel of his bondmate next to him. Steve glanced between Sam and the Asset before he bobbed his head back and forth as if trying to figure out the best way to introduce two different omegas. The way his Alpha looked at Sam might have stirred jealousy in his veins had he been more human and not painfully aware of the cock that was hard only for the Winter Soldier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam Wilson, Maria Hill, he’s a veteran, I pulled him out of retirement to help. We’re calling him The Falcon. This guy right here,” Steve placed his cuffed hands on the hand that remained on Steve’s leg. “This is James Buchanan Barnes… Bucky… My omega…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Winter Soldier,” Natalia clarified in her lucidity with acid as she shifted to lean against Sam. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Maria huffed and quickly worked to undo everyone’s cuffs, being wary about the omega and mythical Assassin. “I thought he was a ghost story.”</span>
</p><p><span>Natalia grimaced and looked the Asset up and down as if she hadn’t known him prior to their meeting in Iran. “Apparently not.”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“And you’re bonded to him?” Maria snorted as the trucks slowly pulled to a stop inside an above-ground flood sewer. </span></p><p>
  <span>Steve tried to explain his relationship to the omega, which the Asset was very interested to learn about, but had absolutely no time for. The Soldier listened to the ground down below them as well as the men around them. HYDRA’s intentions were to still execute everyone, just not in plain sight of the media. The Winter Soldier’s Alpha would not die at HYDRA’s hands and neither would Steve’s friends. Current mission parameters made the Soldier make an executive decision on behalf of everyone and would make sure the others acted swiftly as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is a sewer below this one, if you have any gear that will slice through concrete I suggest you use it now,” Winter Soldier interrupted the explanation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria looked up, listened, and got to quick work. The Alpha woman pulled out a flashlight-sized object and began emitting a laser that made a hole big enough for all of them to fit through. Agent Hill’s olive skin glowed against the red light and the Soldier allowed himself to admire the sight for only a brief moment. Sam went down the hole into the sewer first so that Agent Maria could help send Natalia down below. Steve made sure Maria followed after them and focused his attention on the Asset’s grey calculating eyes with his wet bright blues. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re coming with right?” Steve asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset assessed the state of his own and his Alpha’s body before he grumbled softly. “I will have to come back to HYDRA or they will not stop chasing me,” the Asset insisted. “Go, I will follow shortly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve looked reluctant, but the Soldier did not have time for the Alpha’s hesitance so he grabbed the man that was probably stronger than him and pushed him down the hole without an issue. Just as the Asset sat back down the back of the truck’s doors opened. Rumlow and the other members of STRIKE had their guns pointed to where Steve would have been and stared at the knocked-out agent. The Asset’s handler growled lowly and looked at the Soldier with complete disgust. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t stop them?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[New mission was to keep them alive. There was no way to prevent their escape without killing],” the Winter Soldier replied blandly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t follow them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[I was not given orders to do so, sir.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rumlow growled more and reached inside the truck to grab the Asset by his hair and pushed him to his knees so they were face to face. The Soldier tried to ignore the pain that burst through his scalp from the grip and tried to keep calm despite the clear cracks in his programming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “You will fucking follow them, you will report in when and where you find them. Kill them. All of them. Do not let the public see you kill Captain America,” the handler continued in the Asset’s ear. “That is a direct order. You have fucked your own mission up. Secretary Pierce is not pleased and you look foolish. You will be severely punished when you come back. And you will come back, Soldier.” </span>
</p><p><span>“[Order only comes through pain,]” the Soldier replied solemnly.<br/>
</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“Will you comply, Asset?” Rumlow asked. </span></p><p>
  <span>“[I will comply.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rumlow released the Soldier, handed him a new comm device and stepped back. The Asset looked at his handler and the STRIKE team one last time for confirmation before he jumped down the hole after his bondmate. The Soldier’s feet landed with a loud splash, his body took the force of the fall with only minimal pain. The group was only a few paces away, it would have been easy for them to hear the conversation and if they wanted Natalia could have translated everything the Asset had said. Steve rushed up to the omega in a startling move and pulled the Soldier in close by wrapping his arms around the Asset’s broad shoulders. The Winter Soldier stood there, arms hanging loosely by his side, and stared at the others who began to walk away so they could ignore the scene Steve made. The Alpha had no control over himself. Steve scented and kissed the Soldier wherever he could reach and he would have been uncomfortable if he could even produce that emotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have a van two blocks away. There’s a back where you two can handle your business and we can sit in the front without seeing or smelling a thing,” Agent Maria called over her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Steve huffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve pulled away to look the Asset up and down, probably to check for any injuries. The Alpha would have definitely felt a minor pain Rumlow inflicted so the once over for his condition was understandable and within acceptable parameters. The Asset knew he probably looked disgusting, covered in sweat and dirt, but the Alpha didn’t look much better. The man smelled like a missile, burned building ash, and burnt skin. Looking too long at the Alpha’s chest caused the cramps in his lower abdomen to make themselves known again as slick spilled and his cock ached more. Steve was attractive, that was just an objectively true statement. There was no wonder why the Asset had chosen him long ago. Steve was a perfect specimen and together they would have made children that could have threatened the world order. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should we be worried that you can get him pregnant?” Sam called back once the Asset and Steve made their way back to the group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve held the Asset’s hand like the omega had seen couples he had murdered do in their final moments. The thought was frightening so he focused upon Wilson who had been right to question whether or not Steve could get the Soldier pregnant. The Winter Soldier did smell like semen all over his body. The Asset was not concerned. He never remembered a pregnancy nor HYDRA ever discussing one, that probably meant he’d never been used for a breeding program. The Asset should not be able to feel thankful, but he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he can’t get pregnant,” Natasha grunted out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset tilted his head and wondered how the red-head knew that definitively. The Asset didn’t even know that about himself, there were no scars for proof of a hysterectomy and he was still able to go through a heat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know?” Steve demanded and looked to the omega for answers, but the Soldier looked to Steve with a frown that expressed they were on the same confused wave-length. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was there when they surgically removed his uterus,” Natasha shuddered out, whether, from pain or the trauma of the Red Room, the Asset was unsure. “They left his ovaries, to make sure a handler could still bond and control his cycles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve looked as though he were about to throw up and glared down at the sewage as if that would help settle the Alpha’s stomach. The water was disgusting and smelled like half of the world’s bowel movements. The Asset did not understand his Alpha, but the Soldier could not honestly understand anything especially when his programming was in the middle of a complete breakdown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Steve asked again, the Alpha got closer to Sam and Natalia.</span>
</p><p><span>“When I was in the Red Room. He was there. God…” The woman grunted in pain. “Make him tell you.”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>The Asset felt brown and blue eyes bore into him, at least Agent Hill was successful at minding her own business. Business the Asset did not even understand because he could not remember. The people around him spoke directly to him without command, as if he were a person like they were. But that was not true. He was dead, he was made and created. No one should even speak directly to him unless they were his handler or his Alpha. Except one of them was </span><em><span>his</span></em><span> Alpha. His </span><em><span>true</span></em><span> Alpha, not some shitty imitation of one that Secretary Pierce was. </span></p><p>
  <span>“Bucky?” Steve prompted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset swallowed as he thought, brows furrowed tight on his forehead as he tried to figure out what they talked about. The Soldier let the keywords Natalia had given with disdain and that allowed prompted memories of the mission come to the forefront of his mind. All his missions were there, but the Winter Soldier usually only recalled when prompted to do so with trigger words and specific dates. However, Red Room was enough for the Soldier to go off of and find the memories of years spent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Red Room. Originally a KGB run facility turned SVR where the Black Widow assets were created. My assignment was to instill fear and train the young women chosen by Russia to be the best assassins anyone could hire including the Russian Federation. Main target: Natalia Romanova. A success. Alternatively, the location where the Winter Soldier Project was formed to create better versions of myself. A failure,” the Soldier responded robotically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not a failure,” Steve interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not me. The Winter Soldier program.” The Soldier paused to get his mind back onto the topic, it took a few breaths of his own to settle his tumultuous mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happens when we succeed in the program, Winter?” Natalia prompted the Asset with the nickname she had called him when they were paired together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mutilation,” the Asset’s answer came with a growl. That was not the correct answer, he had been punished for questioning the procedures originally and called them by that name. “Removal of all glands and functional reproductive organs.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did they do to you after my surgery?” Natalia continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently, the Soldier was not providing all the details she had wanted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not know,” the Asset answered honestly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was all the omega remembered. His memories stopped after she succeeded after he told her she would be forced to go through with the procedure even if she purposely tried to fail. Natalia grunted and shifted her weight more on Sam who seemed to mull over the information that was horrifically shared in the sewer. Where there were no eyes and ears to find out the Asset was unraveling and remembering all he had done and all that had been done to him. No one important would know the Winter Soldier was not following orders and killing all the people around him as he should have been like Rumlow had commanded. Thankfully his comm had stopped working the moment they were some distance away from the hole Agent Hill created. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After my procedure I and…” Natasha paused and stared at Steve a long moment to decide whether or not to share information. “Rumlow, who was bonded to Winter Soldier at the time, were witnesses to the surgery. They couldn’t sedate him enough so it was up to us to hold him down. The surgical team was only successful in removing his uterus, everything else remained intact because he gained his strength again by the time they ran out of sedatives. Rumlow told them the Winter Soldier didn’t need more done. So, he, fortunately, was able to escape with the rest of his organs and glands.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset absolutely did not remember any of that, but it made sense. He understood why Natalia was spiteful at that fact as well. HYDRA would not want some handler accidentally impregnating him. Natalia was meant to be completely stealthy and untraceable. Confuse the enemy and be able to honey pot all targets. The Asset, on the other hand, had a faulty super-soldier serum which was the only reason why he was the only successful Winter Soldier. Being bonded to a Handler worked for HYDRA as well, he was strong but not strong enough they could not control him with the simple use of an Alpha voice. When HYDRA had created the other super-soldiers, those soldiers had formed a pack and used their combined strength and intelligence against HYDRA. Which left the original Winter Soldier to defend his handlers because he was not strong enough for the other super-soldiers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god,” Steve whispered and rubbed his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here, the van is above us,” Maria said pointing to where a manhole cover was with a ladder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saved by the bell,” Sam mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria and Sam helped Natalia up the ladder, Steve was prompted to go after them, and the Asset followed behind covering the manhole. Hill assisted Natalia into the front seat of the van with Sam sliding in next to her. Agent Hill came to the back of the van to open it up and reveal a bare-bones metal shell with a metal wall between the seats and the storage area. Steve stepped in and sat down against a side panel. The Alpha pressed his head against the cold, probably finding relief for his feverous rut. The Asset brought his finger to his ear as he stared at his Alpha who was all splayed out and ready for the omega. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Targets found. Targets neutralized down in the sewers. Had to wait to contact until above ground again.]”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great work Asset. Go to Ideal Federal Savings Bank for maintenance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“[Yes, sir,]” the Asset replied and then crushed the comm in his ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier climbed into the van, shut the doors behind himself, and hit the wall that separated the pair in heat from the other SHIELD agents. Agent Hill got the idea and began to drive. Once the Asset determined they were not being followed by sound alone, he focused his attention back over to his </span>
  <em>
    <span>true </span>
  </em>
  <span>Alpha. The omega straddled Steve without ceremony and began to slowly rock his hips. The Soldier could not wait any longer. The pain was too much for him to try and manage to control himself and his urges. The Winter Soldier’s destroyed metal arm would continue to hurt, but at least the Alpha could relieve the pain in his abdomen. Steve’s hands came to rest up on the Soldier’s hips and squeezed gently. Lips were suddenly on his neck, mouthing at the bond mark on there and bucked up into him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bucky, I missed you. Please let me have you,” Steve panted out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t-I’m not Bucky,” the Soldier reprimanded softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Metal and flesh dragged down Steve’s still bare chest. The omega admired the muscles swollen from the workout they gave each other on the battlefield. Soon metal worked on Steve’s pants again, flesh pulled out his cock and began to stroke the hot member. The Alpha’s knot was already half swollen and dick at full attention. Steve moaned and thrust into the Asset’s hand and let his fingers drag slowly over the pulsing knot. The Alpha exposed his neck to reveal a scar, a bonding bite mark. As far as the Winter Soldier understood in his current state, only omegas carried bond marks, but here Steve was. Practically submitting to the Winter Soldier and exposing a bite mark the Soldier never saw any of his other bondmates. The Soldier now remembered leaving that bite mark on a skinny and sickly Steve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to be inside you Bucky, please let me,” the blond begged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Soldier pulled away from Steve completely to shove his own pants down mid-thigh to expose his hard cock and slick dripping hole. The Asset straddled Steve again and slowly shifted so that he had the Alpha’s cock lined up with his hole to slowly push down. Steve rested a hand on the Soldier’s hips as the other played with sensitive nipples on the Alpha’s chest. The Asset puffed out harsh breaths as he tried to keep his sounds minimal, Rumlow had not allowed the omega to make noise even when things felt good, and it was extremely difficult to continue to manage his silence as a knot teased and tugged at his wet hole. Experiencing pleasure that the Asset did not remember ever experiencing to this degree before, that he took for himself made it harder to not want the Alpha to know how good he felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bucky I want to hear you,” Steve gasped out and pulled the Soldier into a wet and sloppy kiss. “You made such good noises, let me hear them again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset gasped out at the command from his Alpha. No Alpha voice was necessary, all he wanted to do was please his true Alpha so he breathed out the tension in his chest. Noises spilled out that the Soldier had never heard himself make. Hips bounced hard on Steve’s cock, using his strength and hold on the Alpha’s shoulders to take what he wanted. As far as the Soldier had gathered, Steve Rogers was another super-soldier, so breaking him was close to impossible. As he thrust his hips down he took more and more of the man’s knot into his body until eventually the Soldier was caught on it and Steve was fully sheathed inside of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!” the Soldier screamed out and rolled his hips back and forth. The Asset rubbed his hard cock on the Alpha’s muscle rippled stomach. “Fuck you feel so good. God, Steve… Stevie,” the Soldier rambled as his body shook from the force of holding in an orgasm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re so tight. So tight Bucky,” Steve gasped as he came inside of the Soldier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier whimpered as he felt filled a second time that day with his Alpha’s seed and continued to rock his hips on the thick knot. “Please, Alpha, please make me cum.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you can, please. You don’t need permission Bucky. Please. I want to feel your cum on me,” Steve begged the Soldier on top of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Asset complied easily. As he orgasmed his back arched and his head dropped forward. Metal and flesh gripped Steve’s shoulders tighter than was safe for any normal human as he spilled across their chest. The cry that tore out of him was not something the omega had ever heard himself make and memories flooded his mind again. This time pleasurable memories. Memories of the Asset being fucked repeatedly in a forest during an unexpected heat after Steve saved the Winter Soldier from HYDRA the first time. Memories of quiet copulation in a tent or a small Steve on his knees in a cold apartment. Some filtered in with women of that same time that he didn’t know the names or faces of. All experiences were far more pleasurable than his times with HYDRA’s Alphas. The realization of who Steve actually was to the Winter Soldier. Not any regular Alpha and not any regular sort of bond. They were soul bonded, they belonged to each other no matter what happened or how far they drifted from each other. As the omega came down from his orgasmic high he pressed his cheek against Steve’s to breathe in the charcoal hidden under musky sweat and soot. It was a bit different from the impression from memories. The scent was heavy and sour. Like turmeric and turpentine. The Soldier allowed himself to just collapse completely against Steve. Both of them were sweat-soaked and exhausted. Despite that, the Soldier’s hips continued to roll for some pleasurable friction while the Alpha’s cock remained hard inside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky whispered in Steve’s ear ignoring the burn of tears that threatened to spill. “I’m so confused. I keep trying to remember or… or understand.”</span>
</p><p><span>“Shh, you’re fine. You’re safe right now. I got you,” Steve whispered as he still gasped air for himself.</span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span> <span>“I’m worried I won’t remember again. I’ll forget. I keep forgetting,” the Asset replied.</span></p><p>
  <span>Steve squeezed the omega tight and bucked inside of him by accident. The latter could not be helped, despite the serious conversation, the Asset was still rocking his hips and Steve would not be able to resist that. Their bodies were still heavily experiencing the effects of heat and a rut. Neither of them had been through it so thoroughly together since 1943 when Bucky had not been on his, now illegal, suppressants. HYDRA had not needed to put him on suppressants nor had they needed him to put him on the safer option of birth control. The omega never had a real heat and never became impregnated by any bondmate assigned to him or by Secretary Pierce. Because it had been so long and because they both had the unfortunate situation of being super-soldiers the omega knew they would be tortured for days with heat like this. But they did not have days to waste together, only hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll remember for both of us, and you’ll know me by scent. You always do,” Steve promised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You still with me till the end of the line?” Bucky whispered barely able to manage to break through the haze of memories and heat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still with ya till the end of the line, Bucky.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments, questions, needs, and kudos</p><p>my tumblr is sweetassme</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Soulbonds but not Soulmates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>unbeta'd</p>
<p>Sorry, this took so long. I was really sad for a week and didn't want to incorporate it into my writing. I wanted that part to be light, fun, and sexy. &lt;3</p>
<p>UPDATED 5/2/2021</p>
<p>i updated some conversations and removed the steve/sam scene (don't worry it is saved elsewhere if you beg enough maybe I'll give it to you as a deleted scene).  Also apparently I posted this the same exact day last year, so I'm really good at posting on the same exact days as the OG days.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier and Captain America laid on the floor of the van, legs tangled and lips locked in slow teasing movements. They were exhausted. It had been three or so hours of the couple just fucking each other nonstop, even for male super-soldiers, that was a lot of orgasms, knotting, and reconfirming of a soul bond. There were dents and malformations in the metal from their valiant efforts to not slide around during their activities. The Asset felt thoroughly satisfied. How long the endorphins would last was not a concern the Winter Soldier had at the moment with his Alpha. Steve’s lips were soft and gentle; it ensured the omega stayed grounded and focused on the man against him. The omega had Steve locked inside of him still, but the heavy ache had dissipated and he no longer felt overheated. Steve had his arm cradling the Asset’s head, long thin fingers gently running through his dirty long brown hair. The Soldier’s left arm was tucked into himself to avoid further damage and accidentally hurting Steve, while the right moved across the Alpha’s hard muscles. This moment was possibly the most intimate moment the Winter Soldier had ever experienced in his seventy years in HYDRA’s hands. Any other time it might have frightened him, but while his heat still burned minimally it was all he could ask for, knotted to his bondmate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re stayin’ right?” Steve whispered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Asset frowned and pulled his face away to search Steve’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t. HYDRA will come after me. I should have been at the facility I’m stored at over three hours ago,” the Winter Soldier replied quietly, English an uncomfortable language on his tongue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve soured, “The facility you’re ‘stored’ at?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A thick swallow and an uncomfortable shift of the omega’s hips against the knot inside of him reminded himself where the omega was and who he was with. Acknowledging that Steve was his soul bondmate and their interaction after their realization of who they were to each other centered the omega on how gentle Steve had been with him. Not so gentle that their sex hadn’t caused every muscle in his body to shake from the sheer force of pleasure. But knowing that Steve was </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span> from the rest of his bondmates helped to keep the Soldier’s mind steady. The Winter Soldier recalled the memories and programming that HYDRA broke into him. The omega reminded himself of what torture had been done to him to make James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes into the Winter Soldier and how painful it was to go through. If James reminded himself of their abuses while attached to pleasure he could remain grounded in the truth. Steve surrounded him inside and out which ensured the omega could relay the information to the Alpha and maybe when they did part, he might remember some piece of this moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When a mission is completed, or I am commanded because I have failed there are designated points that I am meant to go where my memories are wiped and then I get forced into my cryostasis chamber until they need me again. I failed my mission this time, I ran away. I’ll be wiped so that I forget you and still fulfill my mission. Ensure HYDRA succeeds,” James responded quietly, grey eyes avoiding sky blue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The van pulled to a stop before Steve could reply to the horrors he had been informed of. James shifted his hips again to feel the knot finally deflate just in time. The Soldier would have to steal the van from the SHIELD agent Maria Hill so he could go back to HYDRA’s tentacles. Something he was not sure Steve would allow him to do to begin with. The Asset could not even be sure this was not just a ploy to just arrest him or steal him from HYDRA for SHIELD’s use if he was truly being honest with himself. Steve looked at the Asset like he had so many things he wanted to say and James was not ready to hear it, really he couldn’t trust whatever the Alpha might tell him. The Soldier knew Steve wanted him to stay because their bond begged them to. Captain America would probably ask the Winter Soldier to help him take down HYDRA, but the Asset was not stable enough to even consider that option. The fear that Steve was just a ploy to recruit the Asset for SHIELD’s use, or even more frightening that they’d be placed in a compromising position and the Winter Soldier would be used against his bondmate. James would probably never be good enough for his Alpha and he would not allow himself to be used for SHIELD’s agenda. The Asset would have to leave Steve. James would have to hope that HYDRA would use him again soon so that he could break programming and disappear like the ghost he was. Then maybe, he could return to his bondmate, a man rather than a weapon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Steve was gentle when he pulled out of the omega and made sure to clean them up with his boxers before they both moved to get dressed in whatever clothes they had left. The van doors opened cautiously, as if afraid to find bloodied bodies rather than sweat and cum soaked humans. Not to say blood hadn’t accidentally been involved, with two super-soldiers who aimed to resolidify their bond, blood was almost unavoidable with how messy they were and appeared all over their mouths. Steve’s bondmark had already healed over into a fresh pink scar while James’s was still in the scabbing process. The Soldier found that his healing factor was a lot slower than the Alpha’s, but did not allow himself to think too much of it. Instead, James just appreciated that the Alpha’s wounds the omega had inflicted during their fight were probably healed by now as well. The Asset had done a lot of internal damage to the man via the Weapon and it would not do for Steve to be out of commission for their inevitable second fight, either in the near or distant future. With reluctance to leave the calm scents of their sex James stepped out of the van and helped Steve out after. The pair took a few steps back from the doors as Maria closed them again. The Asset held his metal hand out for the keys, his other hand gripped Steve tight because he was not sure when he would actually see the man next. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want?” Maria growled at his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your keys,” the Asset was unbothered by the growling Alpha. The woman was not as intimidating as his Alpha, Alexander Pierce, or his handlers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” She frowned.</span>
</p>
<p><span>Hill examined the omega up and down then looked to Steve who just glanced away to try to not involve himself in this fight. The Alpha reeked of desperation and sex while the Asset’s emotions had almost completely shut down, only a low hum of satisfaction and need flowed through his connection to Steve. The smell of sex lingered on his skin, but James was sure not much else could be assumed from his scent. Maria looked to the front of the van where Sam held Natalia in his arms. The omega watched Agent Hill look back to him and dropped her tense shoulders, clearly, she realized there were far more important matters to attend than argue with the Winter Soldier about where he was or was not going. The keys clinked against the Soldier’s metal hand, and the Weapon, in turn, closed gently around them.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“You two say goodbye I guess,” Maria sighed and walked away.</span><span><br/></span> <br/><span>“You need to give him a rut suppressant. I can’t finish with him. I’ll be given a suppressant for my own heat,” Bucky called after Maria.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>The woman and the Wilson further back both looked at him with wide shocked eyes. “Rut suppressants don’t exist,” Hill finally replied with the overlap of Sam in the distance and Steve next to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“HYDRA has them, SHIELD must have them,” the Asset insisted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t. Any that exist on the black market cause cancer and other horrible malformations. Omega heat suppressants are the only thing used in severe emergencies. Alpha rut suppressants can kill them,” Agent Hill explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” James blinked unsure of what to do with that new information. As the others filed into the door of the dam the omega brought his full attention back to Steve. “Do you not have another omega?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve looked away, guilt-filled his scent. “The only omega I have been with since I was defrosted is in New York City and now that you’re alive I don’t want anyone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve,” James sighed sadly. “You don’t want me, I’m not… I’m not Bucky, that isn’t me. I’m not the same person and you shouldn’t force yourself to suffer in the hope that I’ll… I’ll be ready for… what our bond means.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you saying Bucky?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man groaned softly and took his right hand back to press into his temple where the electric zaps made themselves known again. “I’m sayin’... Don’t wait for me. I might be literally dead in a day or… Or I might not ever be human enough. I’m… Dead, I’m no one, I’m nothing. I’m only a weapon created to destroy HYDRA’s enemies. You need to move on even with our bond.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How can I move on if I know you’re out there and they’re torturing you?” Steve snapped and grabbed James’s left shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p><span>A grimace slipped past the Winter Soldier’s careful facade at the firm grip, reminded of the damage Captain America had done to him in the heat of battle. Steve seemed to realize what he had done and removed his hand to grip his own arm in a way that closed off his body from James. The omega shifted nervously and looked to the river instead of Steve’s eyes that were far bluer than that water would ever be.</span><span><br/></span> <br/><span>“I’m not sure you can move on? But… You should invest in better options. Like the omega in New York or even Sam,” the Winter Soldier spoke honestly. </span></p>
<p><span>“Sam?” Steve snorted. “Why does everyone think he’d even be interested in me?”</span><span><br/></span> <br/><span>James shrugged, “I can’t say, I don’t know you. I don’t know him, but at least he’s good-looking.” </span></p>
<p>
  <span>The laugh that bubbled out of Steve was almost manacle as if the Alpha had fallen into a crazed state of mind. “HYDRA really did a number on you this time didn’t they? You’re honest now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s… refreshing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve put himself back into the Winter Soldier’s space and cupped the omega’s cheek to force the brunet to look at him. James couldn’t resist any longer and stared into Steve’s eyes as they realized a mutual understanding had been reached. They were both different now, whoever James might remember from the forties was not that man in front of him, and whatever James had become was an entirely different entity than Bucky from the past. Whether or not Steve sought help from others would be up to the clearly stubborn and pig-headed man, but the Winter Soldier knew that Captain America would do what needed to be done to defeat HYDRA. James dove in for a kiss first, his metal hand wrapped around the wrist that touched his cheek while the right gripped the back of the Alpha’s head. Their mouths opened together and the Asset pushed his tongue against Steve’s to really taste himself inside of the Alpha. Hot breaths exchanged as they fought to be pressed as close as they could. Kisses grew more desperate and needy as time ran out. The pair knew the Asset wouldn’t remember Steve once the Winter Soldier returned to where he belonged, but maybe the physical imprint would remain after HYDRA wiped the omega’s memory.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Soldier finally pulled himself away and wiped a stray tear that the Alpha let slip out. Steve stepped back, gave James one final once over before he chased after the SHIELD agent without another look over his shoulder. The omega watched his bondmate slip into a gate at the base of the large dam and disappear inside the tunnel. Steel gray eyes stared at the gate for a moment too long for a normal person before the omega finally made his way to the front of the van and slipped into the driver's seat. Slowly the van was backed up on the dirt road and James made his way towards his next destination. The Asset took backroads to ensure the longest time possible was spent away from HYDRA until he eventually made it back to the Ideal Federal Savings Bank where he would no doubt be punished and wiped. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Steve trotted up behind Sam and Natasha. The Alpha tried to stay focused on his team and not his retreating omega who was more afraid than Bucky would ever admit or the rut that roared back to life in Steve. Gently, the super-soldier pulled Black Widow from Sam's arms, able to carry her weight more easily than the omega. Not that Sam wasn’t capable, as an omega, but Wilson had received some hard hits during the battle against the Winter Soldier. Steve, on the other hand, had already healed from his own injuries, not to mention he was stronger than the strongest of men. The Alpha ignored Natasha’s protests about how he reeked of another omega, heat, and rut, but the man could carry Natasha without any physical exertion. Maria moved ahead of their makeshift team with a purpose down the dingy yellow tunnels. Soon her speed picked up as a man ran towards them with an anxious and hurried expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“GSW she’s lost at least a pint!” Maria called the man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe two!” Sam chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The supposed doctor waved his arm and motioned his hand as he ran. “Let me take her!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they reached the doctor Maria passed by him and sighed, “She’ll want to see him first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha looked to Hill and then up at Steve who exchanged a similar confused look. It was suspicious that there was anyone more important to Natasha than Natasha herself. Or anyone that she needed to see that was placed above Natasha’s gushing wound that required immediate medical attention. The group walked deeper into the dam through a maze of tunnels to enter into a more open area. Lights were set up inside plastic tarps that hung from the ceiling. Inside the makeshift sterile room was a bed, but the plastic distorted the view of whoever it was. As they approached Maria pulled the plastic to the side to reveal Nick Fury who looked more alive than he had a day ago bleeding in Steve’s living room. At the sight of the group the Director of SHIELD turned his head to the side to gaze at them. The man brought his head up and huffed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About damn time,” Fury chuckled and looked at Natasha a lot longer than the others. “Why don’t you get her patched up and we’ll talk.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor nodded and motioned for the Black Widow to sit down in a chair, so Steve gently helped her down and backed away. The Alpha brushed his shoulder against Sam’s glancing down at him. Steve’s rut was doing its best attempt to overwhelm him and it told him to latch onto the nearest omega. Sam was not an option, the man had already committed several crimes for the super-soldier today. The Alpha had no plan to compound upon that. So rather than continue to linger in the omega’s touch he put barely a few inches between them. Steve refocused on the red-head when the doctor brought a rolling stool with a medical kit on a rolling tray. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s he?” Fury asked bobbing his head to Sam Wilson.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sam Wilson. Captain Rogers recruited me to help you after SHIELD fell and HYDRA tried to blow those two up at Fort Lehigh,” Sam replied and brought himself to military attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d shake your hand and thank you but I’m a little stuck,” Fury chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man’s eyes dragged over to Steve and wrinkled his nose for the benefit of the Alpha. Fury had always been the best at covering up his facial expressions when he was bothered by Steve’s too strong scent. On the other hand, no one had ever before been around Steve when he had been in rut, so his scent was probably more intense. Not only that but if the Alpha gave his scent closer inspection, Steve was covered in the scent of an omega in heat and sex. Maybe Fury’s scrunched nose that reflected severe distaste wasn’t for Steve’s benefit it was just a genuine reaction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened to you? You were having sex while they were busy fighting?” Fury asked sardonically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Long story,” Steve sighed and ducked his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha huffed knowing Fury would push, so instead asked, “What happened to you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve would have to thank her another time for changing the conversation. The Alpha wasn’t sure he had the mental or emotional stamina to explain Bucky. Or to find out if Fury </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>that Bucky had been in HYDRA's hands. Natasha just prevented everyone from any further pain and suffering by diverting the conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I got into a fight with a ghost,” Fury started, “Managed to get to your house,” the man bobbed his head at Steve, “To take a breath and then was shot four times as you know. The assassin did almost kill me with a lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t forget your collapsed lung,” the doctor hummed as he worked to remove the bullet and sew the wound closed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, let's not forget that,” Fury puffed out as a laugh. “Otherwise I’m good.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They cut you open, your heart stopped,” Natasha snapped back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress,” Fury’s voice stayed even and low. “Didn’t work so great for him, but we found a use for it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?” Steve frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any attempt on the director’s life had to look successful,” Maria pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve nodded at her at the unspoken comment. While Hill had not wanted Bucky to leave, it was probably better for the safety of everyone that he had. If the Winter Soldier discovered his assassination had been unsuccessful, who knows what might happen. The omega’s mind had probably been warped so much that it still belonged to HYDRA. That was the only explanation for how Bucky could have forgotten who Steve was and why the omega believed HYDRA could make him forget again. If Bucky told HYDRA Fury was still alive, another attempt on Fury’s life would have to be made by either the Winter Soldier or someone else. It was practically inevitable whether or not HYDRA found out about Fury that Steve, Natasha, and Sam would see Bucky again. Well, not Bucky. They would encounter the Winter Soldier with the continued mission to kill them because the Fist of HYDRA had failed his mission the first time around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t kill you if you’re already dead. Besides, I wasn’t sure who to trust,” Fury breathed eyes darted to Natasha who in kind looked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright Agent Romanoff, I’m going to stitch you up,” the doctor told the woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha kept quiet and skill clearly deep in thought, but without any scent, there was no way for Steve to tell what was going on in her head. Which, he supposed, was the point of why her glands had been removed. A lot easier to be a spy if no one could smell you coming. Of all the things that probably happened to Bucky, Steve was the most thankful that HYDRA hadn’t just resorted to removing Bucky’s glands. The spy’s green eyes bore into the cement walls of the dam as a needle and thread moved in and out of her, tying her skin tight together. Steve was gratified he didn’t have any lingering pain he had felt not two hours ago from having the Winter Soldier’s metal fist hit his side repeatedly. Steve should have suffered more from the pain of broken ribs and internal bleeding, but instead, the Alpha endured his rut and need for an omega he couldn’t have. Rather than linger too long on the conversation that sounded like a break-up with an omega he barely knew was alive, he refocused on the situation at hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do we have anyone else left in SHIELD?” Steve asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We do. We have SHIELD agents shaking down other SHIELD agents to find HYDRA while trying to avoid being murdered by HYDRA. It’ll take some time,” Maria supplied. The woman’s eyes locked onto Steve with some thinly veiled concern as the smell of his rut rose again. Brown eyes darted to green who had also caught the stench. “We have rooms you all can stay in down here. The mission continues tomorrow, but I think we need to rest a bit because it’s not going to get any easier out there.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great!” Sam clapped his hands together and then Steve’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since there is clearly information being kept from me. I am going to point out the obvious that I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wilson isn’t the omega whose scent is all over you,” Fury chirped up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve sputtered and looked to Sam then Fury and shook his head. “No,” Steve swallowed dryly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’re not going to tell me who it was that reconfirmed that little bond mark on your neck?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, he’s not,” Natasha huffed standing slowly. “It’s a need-to-know basis.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Fury nodded and chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me show you where the rooms are,” Maria sighed and led the group out of the room. “You think it’s okay to not let Fury know that the Winter Soldier is Steve’s bondmate?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think if Fury found out, he’d think Steve was HYDRA,” Natasha grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That makes sense. Fury would probably think Steve is more compromised than he already is,” Hill hummed thoughtfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve is completely compromised,” Sam snorted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve is here with you all, so let’s stop talking about me like I’m not,” Steve spat tiredly. “I appreciate you all not telling Fury that Bucky is alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think any of us want to know if Fury already knew who the Winter Soldier actually is,” Maria murmured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He actually probably does,” Natasha replied solemnly. “Which still doesn’t make it your fault that you didn’t know about it, Steve.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. I couldn’t have found him anyway if he wasn’t awake. Now it’s just a homing system that’s negging me,” Steve grumbled as he touched the freshly pink scar on his neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Captain Rogers, you can stay in this room,” Maria opened a door to reveal a dimly lit bare-bones bedroom. “Wilson, Romanoff, your bedrooms are the next two doors, you can fight over which one you want.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to chat with Steve? So your pick on rooms Black Widow,” Sam told the women.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither woman looked surprised, only Steve who was already being backed up into the dank-smelling bedroom. Once inside, Sam shut and locked the door behind them. Steve stared at the door and then Sam with a concerned frown, an omega, even one on birth control, shouldn’t be around him while he was in rut. At least and especially not locked alone in a room with a super-soldier Alpha in rut. Apparently, Steve hadn’t been paying close enough attention because Sam backed Steve into the bed to make the man sit. The omega backed away to apparently provide Steve the air he felt he needed for Sam’s safety. The Alpha did as he was directed nevertheless while Sam sat himself down in a chair up against the opposite wall. Steve crossed his arms and a frown marred his face at the situation of currently being trapped with a man he could easily overpower if he had less control over himself. Sam, however, seemed unphased by the situation he had put himself in and stretched out a bit, crossing his legs at the ankles and folded his long thick fingers together neatly. The omega really was gorgeous, with long lines and thick muscles, not bulky or lanky in the way Steve was. If Bucky wasn’t suddenly alive, he definitely would have considered taking the man on an actual date or two.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So…?” Steve started hating the silence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, this is your first rut </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Sam asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Before the serum my body never worked right because I was sick with basically everything. Bucky and I bonded right before he was deployed and I went into Project Rebirth,” Steve breathed shallowly. “When I saved Bucky at Azzano, he’d gone a month without suppressants at the time so he went into heat while he was there. Even then… Nothing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I may have overheard that you were hooking up with Tony Stark. Does he never go into heat?” Sam asked in the most gentle voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve felt as though he was being treated far too carefully for where this conversation was going, but he responded honestly. “No, he’s past the age where he has regularly scheduled heats. And I mean… That’s why he was great to mess around with because I couldn’t get him pregnant. Not that I’m sure if I’m even fertile after the experiment.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’ve gone, let’s say based on the years that you’ve been alive minus the years you’ve been frozen. You’re twenty-seven years old. An Alpha, and you’ve never had a heat before. Not only that, you have a metabolism that could break down your body if you don’t consume enough calories while simultaneously healing any damage it’s done to itself. Steve, by not having someone to go through this with, you’re asking for pain and maybe even death. Your temperature runs higher, a rut will spike your temperature if you don’t do anything other than masturbate,” Sam responded clinically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then I can take care of myself just for tonight and I’ll figure something else out after we finish with HYDRA.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam shook his head almost solemnly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve,” Sam began with a disappointed sigh and released calming pheromones. The man stood and walked over to the Alpha gently and his hands on the other’s broad muscular shoulders. “You can’t think jerking off is going to help you focus tomorrow when you see </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He’s right, he doesn’t know much about who he is or who you were. But, he does know what HYDRA will do to him. If I had to guess they’ll suppress his heat, they’ll do whatever they need to do to him to make sure the mission succeeds before anything else. So while he’s their brainwashed weapon, you’ll be in rut, smell him, and lose focus. That’s how he’ll help HYDRA win.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve stared at Sam’s collarbone rather than his face. It was difficult to really make eye contact with a man who was not just right about the entire situation but was offering something Steve didn’t want. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Steve wanted sex, wanted to be with an omega, any omega. Sam would have been a great option if Bucky hadn’t suddenly resurfaced. Sam was honestly perfect and deserved so much better than this situation they were stuck in. To give in to what Sam offered felt like a betrayal to a Bucky who didn’t even understand their bond if their departing conversation was any indication. Even if Bucky did understand after everything HYDRA had done to his psyche, Steve wasn’t sure if he could justify the unfaithfulness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, if Bucky wasn’t alive I wouldn’t hesitate, Sam,” Steve murmured honestly, and loosely rested a hand on Sam’s hip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who do you think was talking when you were told to make sure you were taken care of? Barnes or the Winter Soldier?” Sam dropped his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve choked a bit on a miserable laugh, “That was definitely Bucky, he thinks I can’t take care of myself.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you trust me to take care of you?” Sam squeezed the man’s shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve stared into deep walnut eyes as if he would find answers that wouldn’t come and gave in with his entire body relaxing under strong hands. “I trust you more than myself right now.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments, kudos, questions, concerns, and your begs for sam/steve content.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Return to Who the Hell is Bucky?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>No beta, always looking for one &lt;3</p>
<p>Thank you for reading as we come upon the end of this story.</p>
<p>UPDATED 5/3/2021</p>
<p>I've changed a bit of my cannon for this and you have to live with that.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>IDEAL FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK. January 11th, 2014. 1930.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Soldier did not remember the drive all too well, his mind wandered back to the hours spent with an Alpha he had never seen before and probably would never remember again. Especially now that he had contemplated a way to remove the bond. Unfortunately, the reality of who he was now made him absolutely incompatible with someone his soul was intrinsically tied to so harmoniously. Not to mention the chronic pain the existence as the Winter Soldier brought him through HYDRA or the weapon attached to his body. The thought of Steve having to constantly experience that pain was unacceptable. They were both super-soldiers, and in some ways that made the Asset yearn more because Steve wouldn’t crumble under his strength. But, realistically Captain America didn’t deserve to be attached to someone who required someone to control him for his own mental stability. No, Rumlow, Pierce, and Karpov weren’t necessarily physically strong, but their mental fortitude provided them the intimidation needed to handle the Winter Soldier. Most of the time, beyond the programming, cracks the Asset saw through and abused. </p>
<p>A drive through dense forest and quiet traffic brought clarity. The kind where one realized that if one's own handlers could not successfully control him and his soul bondmate could not control him, then the Asset was proverbially on his own. Which was a horrifying truth. The omega had been bold enough to lie about murdering his targets, then ran away with them to fulfill a carnal desire he wasn’t supposed to have, and then left to go back to his handlers at HYDRA. All decisions the Winter Soldier had made on his own without anyone’s command. Some had at least been pleasurable decisions, but as the Asset pulled up into an underground parking garage at a bank he had been commanded to rendezvous at, the omega felt dread in a cold sweat. The Winter Soldier stopped the van abruptly as Rumlow’s STRIKE team marched out to surround the vehicle. Slowly, the Asset stepped out with his hands up in surrender and head down and to the side in submission. </p>
<p>Rumlow sauntered over as if there was no danger in a Winter Soldier who had broken almost all programming. A cruel chuckle escaped the Alpha after the man smelled the air around the mostly clothed omega. The bite that Steve remade was bright pink on his neck practically begging for other Alphas to see the physical claim paired with the bodily fluids that dried on his skin and inside of him. Rumlow circled the Soldier like a predator about to consume their prey but actually looked for any damage done to his person or weapons that the Fist of HYDRA might have been hiding. Once the Alpha was satisfied that he and everyone else in the carpark were safe he kicked out the back of the Asset’s knees to bring the omega down to the ground. Pain shot up through the crack on the pavement and bit back a groan of pain, Rumlow would not earn the pleasure of hearing him complain about his current situation. </p>
<p>“Seemed like you thoroughly enjoyed your time away. Hands behind your head,” Rumlow grumbled. “Who knew the Winter Soldier would lie just to get some dick?” </p>
<p>The Asset complied with the order with his hands behind his head, fists pressed together to try to keep himself calm and focused on Rumlow’s movements. The circling would hopefully provide some method of grounding himself into his position as an Asset for use. If HYDRA’s attention was forced upon their disobedient Weapon they would have no choice but to lose Captain America’s trail. The longer HYDRA’s heads had to spend on controlling the Winter Soldier, the sloppier the organization’s plans would become. To the omega, it was clear Steve and his people were far more organized and now more prepared despite how easy it looked to HYDRA to dismantle them. Lost in his thoughts Rumlow gripped the Asset’s arms with force and pulled them at an uncomfortable angle to pull the Winter Soldier out of his mind. Metal and flesh were then flipped behind his back and cuffs were latched onto the omega. </p>
<p>Hot breath lingered behind the omega practically tasting the heat scent that filled the parking garage. Apparently, the STRIKE team was not as pleased to be distracted with the scent the way Rumlow was by the way they shifted uncomfortably with their guns still trained on the Winter Soldier. Rumlow finally pressed himself close to the omega and took in a deep breath in of the musky scent of sex and heat. One of Rumlow’s hands moved from the Asset’s cuffed wrists and dropped down to rub the slick soaked pants the omega wore. A heated gasp left the Soldier's mouth and snapped his jaw shut with a loud snap so no other reaction could escape. Rumlow laughed a deep rumble that spread through the omega’s body with fear of what the Alpha might decide to do. While there didn’t seem to be time for games, the Alpha rubbed his hand until he had managed to push against the Asset’s hole which earned Rumlow another groan and the omega shaking under the insistent touching.</p>
<p>“Look at you, too bad you’ll throw up everywhere, or I’d happily indulge myself,” Rumlow purred. “Kind of unfair you go into heat for Captain America, but not me.” <br/><br/>“Guess my pussy never thought your cock would be good enough,” <em>Bucky </em>growled at the Alpha.</p>
<p>That had been an unexpected verbal eruption and the hard kick that landed in the omega’s side was not a surprise. The Winter Soldier was not supposed to be able to think of talking back at his handler, let alone actually doing it. That was <em> James Barnes </em> through and through, which left some hope that the Asset might be able to come back to himself after his mind was wiped. Knocked into the ground with his left shoulder taking the brunt of the force, the Winter Soldier was practically licking the concrete. Rumlow stood above him, foot on the Asset’s back to keep him there and spit at him in disgust. Alphas really gave the Winter Soldier whiplash and he wasn’t sure he had ever liked an Alpha besides Steve even before he was created as the Winter Soldier. </p>
<p>“Disgusting omega. Should have been burned when you presented,” Rumlow growled at him. “Get the Winter Soldier up. He needs to be wiped and reset to continue his mission. Project Insight is in danger of failing.”</p>
<p>A pair of STRIKE agents picked the Winter Soldier without care. One the Asset remembered one as Rollins, the other he did not remember seeing before. The pair dragged the Asset into the depths of the bank, occasionally a stun baton stabbed the Winter Soldier’s side to keep the omega in his place. The team that surrounded the Soldier with guns now publically made comments about his smell to degrade the omega as much as possible since Rumlow had started the game. The Soldier would struggle a bit more fiercely at any comment aimed at his Alpha. Steve was not involved in the Winter Soldier or HYDRA and it was not appropriate to allow these pathetic Alphas to speak badly about the Soldier’s bondmate. Captain America had treated the Asset better than anyone ever had and the pressure in his mind that he struggled through to be with his bondmate for as long as he had been, had absolutely been worth the pain. </p>
<p>It was not long until they had finally entered the safety deposit room that had <em> the chair </em> set up center stage as if the Winter Soldier’s torture was a show. The omega froze up at the sight, heels dug down into the concrete floor. To hear what would happen to him was one thing, he knew and expected it would. But with the free will that the Winter Soldier had suddenly tasted left him unwilling to be placed on a device that smelled only of his own pain, piss, and blood. The stench of bleach couldn’t cover up forty years of the men dragged the Soldier to the chair that smelled like piss, blood, and bleach. Fear was a permanent fixture into the chair and his memory. Despite his super-soldier strength, his ongoing heat left him far more uncoordinated which allowed the guards to force the omega down. With one swift motion down into the chair, the Soldier’s arms were strapped down by titanium-reinforced bands all the way up his flesh arm and an EMP metal cuff at his metal wrist to turn off the Weapon.</p>
<p>A tech wheeled their stool next to him as guns were still trained at the Winter Soldier. The tech pulled out little tools from a little canvas bag rolled out on a metal tray. “That mean Alpha did a number on you didn’t he?” the Tech antagonized. </p>
<p>The doctor that assisted the mechanical technician stood behind the Soldier’s left shoulder which put the omega further on edge. The man pulled out a syringe that made the Asset believe he might actually get to be sedated, but the moment it was injected into his vein the omega knew it was a heat suppressor. It burned through his body and forced out a moan of pain. The omega shook as he tried to prevent the bond from sharing the pain with his bondmate. Soon, the only heat he felt was the rut his own Alpha went going through elsewhere. The suppressant prevented his own body from properly reacting to his Alpha and confusion filled the painful haze of the omega’s mind. The Asset ignored the tech that tried to reform what Captain America’s shield had crushed. A foggy mind was a far more favorable retreat. Rather than acknowledge the searing pain of nerves on fire he allowed himself the time he hadn’t been previously spared to sort through the memories that were dug up in his short time with his true Alpha. </p>
<p>
  <em> “Sergeant Barnes,” a German voice and a flash of a man’s face.  </em>
</p>
<p>Zola, Dr. Arnim Zola, the face of the Soldier’s fear and programming. The only reason the Asset was alive and who he was. Why the Winter Soldier had survived seventy years of torture and pain. The Asset lurched forward in his chair, unable to move too far thanks to the restraints that held him down. The sound of a train that rushed past made the Soldier violently look over his shoulder to see a cliffside that shouldn’t be underneath a bank. Someone, <em> Steve </em> , called his name with agony as the omega hit the side of a cliff that caught his wrist and tore his arm off. The next moment all he could see was a man in a USSR uniform, chattering at the Asset as two other men dragged his limp body through snow. When <em> Bucky </em>looked down part of his left arm bled where the rest of it was missing. The Asset’s eyes came back into focus as sparks flew from metal with Zola’s voice ringing through his disjointed mind again.</p>
<p>“The procedure has already started.” </p>
<p>Doctors all around him held tools he had never seen before, and the omega had seen <em> a lot </em> of doctors' offices and hospitals being around his Alpha. There were so many that were sharp and seemed frightening in nature. The sight overwhelmed the omega so he jerked in his restraints to try to get away. But then there was a bone saw that cut into his arm without any sedative or pain drug that piece by piece removed shattered bone and torn muscle. The omega’s nerves burned. This had to have been part of HYDRA’s torture. Must have been how HYDRA broke Captain America’s omega down and remade him into the Fist. Grey eyes stared at the metal arm being fixed while the Winter Soldier’s own mind moved between reality and memories as his mind flooded with images and names and kills and pain. The procedure had been completed, the man woke with the Weapon and all the Soldier could feel in response was anger and pain. Zola had been right when the Asset’s metal arm grabbed the throat of a man in a blue coat. The procedure had made him into the new Fist of HYDRA. Just in time for the doctor that choked on the metal, the Winter Soldier was quickly sedated.</p>
<p>Zola’s face flashed in front of him, “Put him on ice.” </p>
<p>The Asset remembered the first time he was frozen. Brown hair barely an inch past Army regulation. A metal hand pushed on the door they had shut until the Asset was only able to take one last breath as ice froze him in time. No. The Asset could not let that happen again. <em> Bucky </em> could not let HYDRA take the omega from his Alpha a third time. The Weapon tore through the EMP cuff that had pulsed a low-grade electrical current at a barely functioning level and slammed the metal fist into the HYDRA tech that had almost finished fixing his arm. Violent fits came to rest at the omega’s lower abdomen the moment he heard guns cocked. The Winter Soldier was flexed and tight-bodied as he planned his next move, the STRIKE agents were weak and disorganized. The Soldier could easily overpower them. Rollins had his gun drawn on the Asset as did the other men surrounding him, but Rollins was the only one that did not seem afraid. The Asset was about to make his next move when he heard Rumlow speaking to the STRIKE team through their radios.</p>
<p>“Peirce has arrived, guns on the Asset,” Rumlow spoke through Rollins’s earpiece. </p>
<p>“Asset has assaulted the tech team, has not made another move,” Rollins replied. <br/><br/>More earpiece chatter to focus on, “Keep it that way until Pierce arrives.” </p>
<p>The Asset forced himself to calm down, but it was an extremely slow process. The Winter Soldier’s Alpha Alexander Pierce was on his way with his other Alpha and handler Rumlow. The only two men still alive that truly struck fear into the omega and made the Soldier rethink his plan of escape. Maybe the Asset should have stayed with his bondmate, but realistically that would not have been safe for either of them. So, the Soldier would have to cling to the hope he would get out of this predicament soon. Never before had there been hope of successful escape, the next time he met his bondmate, the Winter Soldier would remember. The Soldier calmed himself down, relaxed his muscles, and sat in <em> the chair </em> forward-facing as he waited for his handlers to put him in his place. Then there was that nagging thought that always came with plans to escape that it might be better and easier to forget and to suppress all the memories. The Winter Soldier was a ghost after all, dead and gone. The memories the omega had weren’t just his time with his bondmate, but every single thing he had done as the Winter Soldier. Escape meant facing those memories and what the omega had done as HYDRAs assassin. Out of the corner of the Soldier’s eye, Rollins dropped his gun down and looked towards the barred doors that held the STRIKE team trapped with the omega.</p>
<p>“Sir, he’s… He’s unstable. Erratic,” the Winter Soldier heard in the near distance.</p>
<p>A door opened. Gold bar doors creaked and in walked Pierce with Rumlow at his tail like a cattle dog ready to work. The Alpha waved his hands at the STRIKE team to dismiss their stance and force them to lower their guns. Despite the very valid concern they felt about the command they complied and the metal door shut with a loud clunk. The omega felt distant and detached from where he sat, eyes wandered over the gold safety deposit boxes in various states of open and closed. The Winter Soldier could count and see which numbers were still closed and of those assess if there was anything contained in them that might be worth taking later. The bank was still functional, it seemed. HYDRA had deep pockets everywhere and liked to provide a show to its stakeholders wherever the Asset went. </p>
<p>“Mission report.”<br/><br/>The Soldier could hear Pierce’s command, but there was a far more interesting box that was open that still contained an envelope inside. Someone would be missing that information soon if HYDRA did not leave the bank as soon as possible. Peirce’s single command continued to ring through his mind as if bouncing around to find somewhere that it might stick and activate. Once Project Insight had its successful launch the Winter Soldier was sure he would be sent back to storage in Russia until HYDRA needed him, if they ever took their chance with him again. But, with the successful completion of Project Insight, the Asset’s specific skills should not be needed ever again. Then the question begged why? Why keep the Winter Soldier like this if they would not need their Fist anymore? The answer was easy, HYDRA would never release the Winter Soldier as a free man for fear of retaliation. However, as much as his handlers reinforced that the Soldier was dead, a ghost, no one, there was someone that knew who the Winter Soldier actually was. If HYDRA had attempted to use him any other time maybe they could have hidden the Asset away frozen forever. But now there was someone that would miss him and believed they needed the omega. His Alpha, his true Alpha waited for him, wanting him despite the Winter Soldier’s insistence that he shouldn’t. </p>
<p>“Mission report now.” </p>
<p>The Asset felt more relaxed than before Pierce had arrived, the Winter Soldier decided that the relaxation came from his mate being asleep, not his need to please the Secretary. Wilson must have taken care of his Alpha and some sort of pride tried to prickle his skin at Steve listening to the Winter Soldier’s command. The Winter Soldier would have to fight Captain America again and it would not be a fair fight if the Captain raged from rut and was unable to focus. Pierce’s command continued to stick to nothing in his mind as he recalled the hand-to-hand combat with Captain America had been extremely erotic. Not really a surprise to the Soldier that they ended up fucking on the battlefield. An Alpha having to fight for an omega was absolutely primal, especially one that belonged to said Alpha, there was no other way that would have ended for them even if the Asset had not been in heat. Stuck in the erotic details of his combat with his Alpha and the prospect of the fight tomorrow the Winter Soldier barely registered Pierce in front of him now. The man knelt slowly between the Asset’s legs to try and make eye contact with the omega he believed he owned via mind, body, and soul. Distracted by lewd thoughts the Alpha was able to land a heavy back-handed slap to the omega’s left cheek and tossed the super-soldier to the right. Maybe the Asset would have anticipated the action had he better-paid attention to his handlers. Not that he was allowed to block their assaults. The Winter Soldier settled himself back in the chair, eyes focused forward on the Alpha in front of him finally.</p>
<p>“The man on the bridge,” grey eyes searched Peirce’s sharp blue. “Who was he?”</p>
<p>“I told you already, he’s just an old bondmate,” Peirce stayed in his knelt position as if he spoke to a scared child. “Your mission was to dispose of him as you have with most of your other bondmates.” </p>
<p>“But, I knew him… From before HYDRA,” the omega complained despite every cell in his body that told him it was dangerous to do so.</p>
<p>Any mention of his life before HYDRA was forbidden and ignored, so much so he had actually never encountered those memories during programming disruption. Because programming told the Winter Soldier those memories were not real, anything he believed existed before HYDRA was just bad coding, dreams the Ghost was not meant to have. When the Soldier did remember and subsequently asked because it might be pertinent to the mission, brutal beatings followed with the use of <em> the chair </em>’s true purpose. Steel eyes followed Peirce as the Alpha took a seat on the round stool the tech had been evicted from in order to get closer to the Soldier and invade the omega’s senses with only Peirce’s scent. Now wide wondering slate eyes slowly dropped down to the tiled floor until they cautiously wandered back up to meet the Alpha’s. It was easy for Alexander to subdue him after fifty years of working together. The Soldier felt so much fear of what the Secretary could do that the scent of the Alpha alone focused him and kept him calm. </p>
<p>“Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century, and I need you to do it one more time,” Alexander began. “Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning we’re gonna give it a push. But, if you don’t do your part, I can’t do mine, and HYDRA can’t give the world the freedom it deserves.” </p>
<p>The Soldier swallowed a few times during the man’s speech only to end up replying with brows furrowed and lips turned down because he hated his work. “But, I knew him. I fought against HYDRA with him,” Bucky grimaced at the fully developed memory.  </p>
<p>The anguish that the omega felt with the knowledge that he had been saved by Steve once before from HYDRA so they could take down the organization only to be the Weapon that shaped HYDRA and the world, was overwhelming and nauseating. Alexander leaned back with clear disappointment and under normal circumstances the Soldier would have snapped back into action, ready to do anything for the success of HYDRA because Pierce simply willed it so. But, the resurrection of Steve Rogers and the Alpha out in the world without his omega made the Soldier feel that there were more important things than HYDRA. There should not be anything more important than the current mission. Nothing was more important than pleasing the two Alpha’s in front of him that he had spent decades with, but the omega’s mind and body told him there <em>were</em>. Peirce stood and sighed roughly while the Asset continued to swallow the spit that built up around his nausea and chewed on the inside of his cheek in thought. The Winter Soldier knew what would come next from disappointing his Alpha so severely. Fear began to quake through the omega’s body, sweat wet his hair and skin when Peirce made the command.<br/><br/>“Prep him,” Alexander commanded the Technician and Doctor that had slowly inched their way back inside the safety deposit room.</p>
<p>The pair shared a look before the doctor replied, “He’s been out of cryo-freeze too long.” </p>
<p>Pierce looked back at the Asset with disgust, “Then wipe him and start over.” </p>
<p>The doctor and the tech quickly got to work, beta’s afraid of their Alpha master. Half of the STRIKE team raised their guns despite Peirce’s control over the Soldier, but the doctor had his hands on the omega to push the super-soldier back into the chair to strap him down again and no one wanted to risk another outburst. The Winter Soldier chewed on the inside of his cheek more aggressively before he finally decided to open his mouth for the bite guard. The moment the metal clamps worked around both of his arms the panic-filled him again, his breath harsh and loud in the small room. The machine was louder than the omega’s screaming breaths. <em> The chair </em> moved, lit up, and opened a device that wrapped around the Asset’s skull and settled itself snugly in place with a cover over the omega’s left eye. The electrocution was immediate and the Soldier screamed through the pain. The bond deep inside of the omega twisted in agony as his nerves lit on fire all throughout his body, fingers and toes twitching as his mind was fried. </p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>POTOMAC RIVER. Jan 12th, 2014. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“‘Cause I’m with you to the end of the line.”<br/><br/>It electrified his mind and rang through his ears as he dangled from a broken metal cross beam still attached to the Insight helicarrier. The omega watched as Target: Captain America fell to his death towards the Potomac with pieces of the helicarriers above. The Alpha’s words were soon lost in the sounds of explosions as the omega lost focus of the task at hand because he had failed his mission. The Winter Soldier was meant to rendezvous with his handler Rumlow for the next orders, but his stomach ached to follow Captain America into the river. The omega’s aim was not to kill himself. No. There was a pull to save the Alpha he had just killed. It went against the mission guidelines to kill Captain America and ensure Project Insight’s success. But, clearly, by the debrief that crashed from the helicarriers, his mission had been a failure. HYDRA had failed. As reality sunk in the omega realized that he was free from his handlers and free from HYDRA. The soulbond was quiet, but the pull was still strong.</p>
<p>The metal beam was released and the Winter Soldier crossed his arms tightly against his chest, legs straight and toes pointed as he fell into the river feet first. Once underwater the omega swam down towards the river bed in search of Captain America. A few meters away rested the man’s body near the obnoxious red white and blue shield. The Soldier swam himself faster as the bond grew nearly silent as it had been for seventy years, afraid he might lose that sole connection of who he actually was. Thick arms slipped under the Alpha’s armpits and swam back to the surface to get some desperately needed air. Above the surface, the omega gasped and held Steve’s head up as he looked for a safe place to lay the blond down. The Winter Soldier shifted the large Alpha to his back like a pack and swam across the river to the opposite side of the now leveled SHIELD headquarters. </p>
<p>Once his feet could reach the bottom of the river bed he dropped Steve’s body off of his own and dragged the bleeding man through the shallow water by a strap on his uniform. On the gravel shore, the Soldier dropped Steve’s heavy body unceremoniously to the ground. The omega stared at Steve with bated breath as he looked over the Alpha’s chest and then his face in sudden recognition. The Alpha was not HYDRA, so he could live, the Winter Soldier <em> chose </em>to let him live. When Rogers coughed up water and began to breathe again the Asset felt his stomach twist in relief. An emotion the omega only just began to understand now that he was focused on how the Alpha smelled. The omega shook his head to remove the images associated with that rut scent. The Winter Soldier looked around to ensure no one had seen where he had taken the Alpha and walked away from the man. </p>
<p>The omega had no doubt that Steve would be found soon, the world would search and teams would scrape the river for him if that’s what it took to find America’s Golden Boy. There was also the knowledge that the Black Widow had been with the Alpha, which meant most likely the woman had probably placed a tracker on Captain America. If the omega’s memories served him correctly, Steve Rogers AKA Captain America was his bondmate. Knowing Natalia, the woman would be concerned about Steve’s encounter with the Winter Soldier and would be even more likely to place a tracker on the Alpha. Steve, if he had not been badly hurt, would have been a flight risk. Especially if the Alpha had woken at the inopportune moment of when the omega had left because Steve without a doubt would have followed his omega. </p>
<p>The Winter Soldier would ensure Steve would not be able to find a trace of the omega so he could not follow. That did not mean the Asset was ignorant of the people Steve kept ties with, Natalia would probably be able to track the omega down without effort, but that did not mean he could not make it harder. Before the Winter Soldier would leave the country, he had to take care of those that survived the downfall of HYDRA and SHIELD that would seek to use him again. Based on the information that buzzed through his earpiece Alexander Pierce and Rumlow had already been killed. A bit of a shame because the Winter Soldier had ached for years to have the chance to kill his final handlers. The Asset was left with the techs and doctors that knew him, destroying them along with the chair. Rumlow’s STRIKE team probably split off to find new jobs, but they would not be safe for long, nor would anyone else in the rest of the world. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments questions kudos and love. my tumblr is sweetasblack</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Choices</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>unbeta'd</p><p>UPDATED 5/4/2021</p><p>thank you for reading, i appreciate you all. </p><p>enjoy some revenge, character, and sex.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>IDEAL FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK. Jan 12th, 2014. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you’re getting all panicky about,” the tech’s familiar voice huffed. The man’s breath floated through the underground hallways the Winter Soldier quietly stalked through. “You know as well as I do that if you cut off one head two more-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All I know is everything has gone to hell,” the Doctor’s voice was raised and harsh in the Asset’s ears. “I’m done with all of this. Gonna pack this gear up and get the hell out of the country before any of the authorities digging into this mess find out what we’ve been doing here. Last thing I want is to be the focus of the next Nuremberg.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Winter Soldier took that moment to open the gold bar gates of the safety deposit room to reveal himself to the frightened men. The Soldier kept his metal arm up, knowing the best way to make these men piss themselves. The metal arm glinted in the dimmed lights as the omega smelled the air of dread that flowed between the two betas. The Soldier watched as the pair tried to think of what to do. Clearly, running from the Winter Soldier would only activate the primal part of the omega that HYDRA heavily exploited. The Asset took deep breaths in of their scents, memorizing them in case they managed to get away. A shiver of excitement rushed through his body at the prospect of being able to destroy those that had tortured him. Loyal HYDRA scientists had forced him to kill hundreds of people with the included attempts on his own soul bondmate’s life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M-mission report!” the Doctor finally bellowed lamely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s done,” the omega replied in his low baritone that reverberated off of the metallic walls. Slowly the Asset moved into the room as casually as he could make his body move. If these Beta’s had any sense of smell or how to read the Winter Soldier’s body language properly they would know he was poised to kill. Not to mention the Asset was not allowed to speak English unless he spoke directly to Alexander Pierce. “Captain America is dead,” a lie that the others wouldn’t know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Captain America’s death had not been his original mission, just a secondary mission that he had also failed. The lie was enough for the tech to breathe out in relief that programming was still at work. The pair moved towards the Winter Soldier as if they planned to get him prepped for Cryo-freeze until someone more experienced with the Winter Soldier could handle him appropriately. The Asset knew how these two men and men like them operated, overconfident in the Soldier’s programming and the thought they could subdue him with the embedded fear. So, the omega used their confidence to get into their space. While their guards were down the Asset gripped the Doctor by the back of his neck and threw him to the ground with minimal effort enjoying the crack the man’s skull made on the concrete. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tech cowered away as the Soldier felt an adrenaline rush and stormed towards </span>
  <em>
    <span>the chair. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Pieces were torn off and machinery kicked around until everything in the room was destroyed. Dead grey eyes eventually drifted to the cowering technician. The Soldier quietly walked up, gripped the man by the back of his shirt with his metal hand and dragged him into the light where he could see better. The technician was new, had only been with the Soldier since he had been awoken from cryo-freeze a few days ago. He pulled back his right fist, muscles tensed and ready to snap a killing blow. The young man begged quietly and the Soldier saw another face of a man begging. The man had a daughter and begged for his life, it hadn’t mattered to the Winter Soldier, programming forced the Asset to take his life anyway, leaving a girl parentless. The Soldier had been brainwashed to not care, to not worry about consequences. But now, to see the man beg for his life, it electrified his foggy mind. The programming still tried to do its job, but the omega knew that killing the man was not something </span>
  <em>
    <span>James Barnes</span>
  </em>
  <span> would do. This was not him and certainly not the way to make himself actually viable for his Alpha. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please,” the tech begged again when the Winter Soldier faltered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James dropped the technician and sighed out weakly. The brunet turned away from the sobbing beta and walked out of the bank. James did not need more blood on his hands. The technician had only fixed his arm, the young man had never hurt the Asset intentionally. Now, if the Winter Soldier got word of the technician using what he had learned with HYDRA, then he’d go after him. But until then, James couldn’t be the judge, jury, and executioner of everyone that had barely touched him in his agonizingly long life. No more blood needed to be spilled by those that had been convinced to join the wrong side, many who maybe didn’t have as much choice as himself. Knowing HYDRA, the organization would kill anyone that they introduced into HYDRA and refused to join. HYDRA was ruthless and used people without a second thought. The Asset didn’t need to be the same, he didn’t need to continue the cycle of terror on those that had never done the same. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>SMITHSONIAN AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. January 19th, 2014. 1000. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The museum was quiet with only a few tourists that dared to wander around after the fall of SHIELD and minor destruction to DC. People chatted about topics that didn’t matter and the omega was almost jealous. But James was at the museum for a purpose, to see the exhibit done on Captain America and the Howling Commandos. If he was Steve Rogers’s omega, he figured he should at least read some information on their lives to try to jog his memory. So far James had only had memories come back of torture, his own, and torture he inflicted upon others. Time spent as the Winter Soldier became clearer every day, while memories of his time with Steve Rogers were still covered in an electrical fog. Despite the brain zaps that came at any thought of Steve Rogers, the omega made his way through the exhibit and read everything he could. The first area was about Project Rebirth, a similar program to the Winter Soldier project except only one soldier was able to be produced. The picture of Steve skinny and sickly brought forward memories of illness. Bucky had begged Steve to help him through his heats and the Alpha had been utterly useless to him. Then there was Zola’s face again. Zola was always an intrusive thought that interrupted his memories, but this time the omega repeated his own name, birthday, title, and his military number. The Asset pressed his hand to his temple that pulsed with pressure as he walked further into the exhibit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The omega stumbled upon an image of Peggy Carter. Remembering her was easy because he had encountered her many times as the Winter Soldier. Whether or not she knew who he was would probably follow her to her grave. The information the museum provided seemed inaccurate, the info box claimed that Steve Rogers had a romantic relationship with the woman. The Soldier had pieced his memories together enough to know that Steve and James had been together until the omega fell from that train. Steve’s “death” had also occurred a short time after James’s had and the omega could not imagine that the Alpha had much time to mess around with Peggy even if he wanted to. What the museum, and probably the majority of the world, did not know, was that the history of the relationship was faked for the benefit of the Alpha Supremacy Movement. Although most knew the movement as the Alpha Sexual Rights Movement, hegemonic supremacy groups, HYDRA included, focused on the subversive message of Alpha’s being better than the rest of the sexes to reinforce the oppression of omegas and non-Alpha same-sex relationships. So while Alphas and their same-sex relationships became supported, which on paper was perfectly fine, the underlying message that came with it was that anyone that diverted was not attracted to Alphas or weren't Alphas themselves were unworthy of equality. James found it ironic that a woman who had been so jealous of a fairly normal relationship because she didn’t like Steve’s choice, and subsequently erased the relationship from history, had been used by HYDRA. The omega felt ill reading a story that had been so warped from reality. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time James finally made it to his own portion of the exhibit he felt haunted by the world so many people close to him and Steve had unwittingly created after their mutual deaths. Whoever James looked at now was more of a ghost than the Winter Soldier. Another death at the hands of HYDRA. Bucky definitely was dead, the Winter Soldier could acknowledge that was who he had been, but he was James Buchanan Barnes now and only Steve knew him as Bucky. In quiet contemplation of his person and who he needed to become in order to be suitable for his Alpha again, James wandered to the end of the exhibit where mannequins wore the commandos uniform. All were there except the Captain America uniform and Bucky’s uniform. Steve had stolen the museum uniform purposefully because he believed that the Winter Soldier would recognize it rather than the Alpha himself. Not that Steve had been wrong in his assumption, the suit had Steve’s stench buried deep in the fabric and stitching itself. No preservation methods could have removed the Alpha’s too strong scent. The omega had become distracted while he fought Steve. Blunt and recognizable phrases occasionally caused a stumble, but the heavy scent had caused the Winter Soldier to trip face first. The memory of the scent seemed to distract James more than it should have as if the Alpha himself was nearby. Muscles tightened when his mind caught up to the situation. Heavy booted feet shifted in stance and shoulders tensed back ready to land a blow on someone that shouldn’t have been watching him. A sly glance over his shoulder revealed a blond man who peeked at him from behind a piece of the exhibit and an obsidian-haired man that pretended to read Steve’s origin story. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>James knew exactly who was on his tail. At least Natalia was better at hiding, he knew she was nearby, but she was not visible because actually a good spy, unlike these two nimrods. There was no way James would allow their interaction or their faces to get caught on camera with all of them together. With a suffering sigh, the brunet continued on his way to the exit of the exhibit and down to the lower floor where the bathrooms were unoccupied. Barnes went to the sink and leaned against it heavily to slow his breathing. The loudness of Steve’s too strong scent never left his nostrils however, rather he became trapped with it as the man entered the bathroom and locked the door. James stared at Steve through the mirror who just stood by the door holding a brown baggy. Grey eyes squinted trying to figure out what could possibly be in the bag, if it was dangerous, maybe the Alpha had come to kill him upon reading everything the Asset had done. Everything that Natasha could have released into the world which barely covered anything the Winter Soldier had done. Maybe Steve had changed his mind about them being together, as he should have, as James had told him to. The Winter Soldier had done horrible things and planned on more brutal revenge, Steve would do well to stay far away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s birth control and a burner phone,” Steve hummed as if he knew what James was thinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blond in only a few steps invaded James’s space and set the paper bag down on the sink. Steve stood in a way that pinned the Winter Soldier’s hip against the sink counter. The Alpha took the closeness that James hadn’t pushed away as an invitation to take in the omega’s scent like it belonged to him. Which, technically, James </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> Steve’s omega. Unfortunately, James would never be the omega Steve remembered and was worried the other would never accept that. So rather than allow his back towards the Alpha he shifted his body enough so that his ass hit the counter of the sink and faced Steve. It was more tactically advantageous than having Steve behind his back where he was less flexible in his movements and Captain America apparently worked best when his opponent's back was towards him. The Winter Soldier would have been thoroughly shamed for how easy it had been for Steve to subdue him. The omega gasped in shock when the Alpha forcefully pressed his forehead to James’s and knocked off his hat and his hoodie. Steve’s arms rested on either side of the omega’s hips on the bathroom counter to completely trap Bucky. And all James could think of was how much of an idiot Steve was to just corner the Winter Soldier who was dangerous and unstable.  </span>
</p><p><span>“Why do I need birth control?” James finally asked since it did not seem as though he would leave this predicament soon. Grey eyes rose from the Alpha’s collarbone and looked up at Steve through his long black lashes. “I already told you I can’t get pregnant.”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“It’ll stop you from going through your heat. Like the suppressants, you used to be given, but safer,” Steve sighed. </span></p><p>
  <span>Clearly, the Alpha’s rut had not ended. The omega could smell it on him now and by the way, he could barely control his emotions. The man’s body heated up and practically begged the omega to go into heat, but James’s cycle was over thanks to the doctor he killed. That was such a shame because the omega knew of a nice safe house HYDRA and SHIELD didn’t know about, and he wouldn’t have minded staying there a few days just to be fucked by this large man. Barnes’s eyes fluttered shut and allowed the smell of his Alpha to enveloped him. The turpentine and sterile medical scent broke his barriers down rapidly. Their bond lit up with warm flames from Steve’s rut which forced James to breathe out slowly to calm himself down and refocus his mind. Grey eyes finally opened again to look into mirthy bright sky blue eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then, you’ll have to meet me once a month,” James replied with annoyance laced in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve chuckled and tilted his head more to press his nose into Bucky’s cheek without having to break the minor eye contact they had. James breathed shallowly as a method to work through the heavy scent that made him feel as though he was shrouded under a heavy blanket. A calm fell over the omega for the first time since he tried to kill his Alpha under HYDRA orders and broke through programming to the point he never returned to where he was meant to go. James could feel Steve’s hot breath lingering, the man’s gaze falling shut, the Alpha just existed in the omega’s presence as if James was an oasis in a desert. The emotion that swirled through their connection had the Winter Soldier dizzy with how strong it was and his throat constricted in response. James just didn’t have the same feelings for Steve as the man had for him. Maybe those emotions would return the more himself James became, but all they had now was their soulbond. Which for the Winter Soldier, was enough, but it probably wasn’t enough for Steve. The Alpha deserved someone that loved him back sincerely and wanted him as irrevocably as Steve wanted Bucky. Rather than dwell on the tightness in his throat where the admission of his inadequacies were stuck James closed the small gap between their lips. There was a bit of unfamiliar hesitance as their lips moved slowly and tenderly, they created soft noises that echoed in the quiet bathroom. Steve slipped his hand behind Bucky’s head, long delicate fingers tangled in long auburn hair, tugging the omega’s head back. The Alpha exposed the omega’s neck to press his nose and lips against sun-deprived skin to smell the scent trapped there. James shivered at Steve forcing him into a submissive position but didn’t find the will to fight, rather he melted in the familiarity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you want to go into heat, just stop taking it,” Steve murmured against his skin</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you tryin’ to seduce me, Stevie?” James laughed softly, unsure of where the nickname came from. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it workin’?” Steve’s chuckle vibrated through the omega’s body.</span>
</p><p><span>While both of the Alpha’s hands moved down James’s sides and then up under his sweater and jacket, the omega gripped the counter behind himself. Afraid to touch his Alpha and hurt the man more than he had already. Steve’s lips moved back along the omega’s scruffed jaw seemingly completely unaware of the inner turmoil his omega went through. James, despite every cell in his body telling him to try to resist Steve,  shuddered under the warm hands on his skin that always seemed too cold. The omega’s adam's apple bobbed as he dropped his head back with a soft moan that slipped past his swollen lips. Steve had at some point shoved his leg between Bucky’s and rubbed against James’s erection. The omega really had tried to hold himself back, but Steve in rut was far too much to resist. So, the man turned himself back around to face the sink and mirror. Hands braced themselves flat on the counter and James ground his ass into Steve’s crotch as if he were offering himself on a platter perfectly made for the Alpha.<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“You gonna fuck me Alpha?” the Winter Soldier purred at him, a line he had used on the occasional honeypot mission. </span></p><p>
  <span>Steve licked his lips at the sight and made eye contact with the omega through the reflection of the mirror. James discovered he could be a tease because he still was not sure if he was actually going to let Steve fuck him or not. But there was a little thrill to know somewhere in the mess of the disaster HYDRA had created and left to the rubble, he could still flirt. Large hands gripped his hips hard to hold the omega still as the Alpha began grinding into James’s ass. A low moan fell out of James’ lips and felt slick between his cheeks suddenly spill out and could not stop his own body as it rocked back against Steve’s. The omega reached up, knocked Steve’s hat off of his head so he could grip the top of the cropped blond hair, and direct the man’s lips against his neck again. The Alpha growled under the rough treatment and did as he was told, biting and nibbling on the bond mark. Barnes shivered under the treatment and with his decision made, did quick work on his own pants and pushed them down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I can say no to you ever Bucky,” Steve panted hotly against James’s wet neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t gotta prep me, Alpha. You’ll slide right in I promise,” the omega breathed with a shake of anticipation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man could not remember a time with a HYDRA handler that the omega had wanted sex from an Alpha so desperately, or a time where he even felt in control of any situation with an Alpha. Something in the foggier parts of James’s mind told him that Steve would stop everything he was doing, mid rut if James asked that of him. It was absolutely exhilarating and freeing to know he could enjoy sex again without the threat of torture that usually loomed over his head. Stuck in the fog the omega hadn’t noticed when Steve had whipped out his hard and already leaking cock out. As gently as an Alpha in rut could, the man rubbed the member between James’s slick soaked cheeks until he was satisfied with how coated his dick was. Bucky arched his back and pushed his hips out more, presenting himself as best as he could on a bathroom counter. James practically invited Steve to take what was rightfully his so the omega could claim what he felt he was owed after his suppressed heat. The Alpha slid into the smaller super-soldier with ease, the omega shivered as his body was split in half despite how wet he was. As the omega gasped and tried to will his body to loosen, a deep guttural moan burst past Steve’s lips and shook the omega to his core. If they weren’t in a bathroom the brunet expected that he would have been babbling and rambling away already. James suspected he had always been a talker during sex and while HYDRA handlers had muzzled him, Steve definitely liked it far too much for a normal man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buck, you’re so good to me,” Steve whispered against the omega’s neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alpha’s body was flush against Bucky’s back. Their bodies would have melted together if the heat of Steve’s body, and with how close the man attempted to be with the omega, could accomplish it. The best the pair could do was have Steve balls deep inside of James’s tight heat a knot halfway swollen itching the itch that the omega did not even know he had. The Alpha was stuck in a moment he had created for himself. The man adored any skin he had access to while the brunet whimpered with teeth tightly clamped. The omega became frustrated and growled at Steve with a roll of his hips to punctuate his impatience. James’s tight hole squeezed down and brought the Alpha back to reality. Finally, Steve set a steady pace and began to pump his hips. The omega dropped his head back against a broad shoulder huffing through his nose in excitement because he bit his bottom lip to hide his sounds of pleasure. The pace was easy enough to follow with his own hips that rolled in ways that might egg the Alpha on. Long fingers slipped up to the crook of the neck and around to the front of his neck to hold the omega’s head in place against his shoulder. Once James gave into the position the Alpha lapped at sweat that pooled in the omega’s now exposed and protruding collarbone pocket. The tongue that lapped at his scent and sweat caused the omega to shake in the pleasure of being wanted so much. James’s lips finally parted and released more sounds than the omega would have liked anyone to hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe the Winter Soldier should have expected it the way the half knot had continued to tug and pull with every entrance and exit. But, it was quick when Steve’s knot formed inside of James. The Alpha’s thrusts became shallow to try to not lock himself inside of Bucky. Which the omega appreciated but also found himself salivating more than was normal because he wanted to beg Steve to just give the thick knot to him. The omega felt that he deserved the knot. Deserved to be cognizant enough to feel the knot lock in place and the man’s cum coat and dry on the inside of his body. Suddenly the other hand Steve had used to keep James trapped was wrapped around the omega’s hard, leaking, cock. Steve stroked expertly and when he noticed the omega was close to orgasm the Alpha covered the cock head. James keened and bucked his hips onto the Alpha’s cock and into Steve’s hand. The blond hummed and groaned into the omega’s jaw, encouraging Bucky to come on the feeling of his knot teasingly tapping and stretching out the rim. The brunet melted against him, all struggle long gone as he released into Steve’s grip that was eerily similar to the one they had been in when the Alpha knocked him unconscious. James rolled his hips into the hand and spilled his cum into the talented fingers. The Alpha wasn’t far behind as Bucky’s hole tightened and practically milked the orgasm from Steve with every spaztic thrust backward. They weren’t locked together, but Steve did manage to slip half of his knot inside of Bucky to stretch the omega out and ensure his cum scented the omega deeply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Once a month huh?” Steve panted in James’ ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least…” Bucky mumbled tiredly.</span>
</p><p><span>“Am I going to have to track you down every time you’re close to heat?”<br/></span><span><br/></span> <span>“Definitely,” the omega laughed. “Can’t get hard without a good chase or fight.” </span></p><p>
  <span>“Me neither.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>kudos, comments and lots more comments please. </p><p>my tumblr is sweetasblack</p><p>thank you for rereading this, those of you that did. I changed a lot of my own cannon to fit the new path this monstrosity is about to go down. I also felt like a certain character needed better development and more thought process, so I hope that came through alright. </p><p>Sorry I can't give you nice things. I think that my personal relationship is so great that I can only write angst and smut, never fluff.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave comments, concerns, compliments hate. Kudos/subscribe/bookmark.</p><p>These are the only things that motivate me to write. I don't really write for myself I write for those (like myself) that might be reading and loving everything.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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